Getting to Know You
by Ruthie
Summary: Charlie O'Neill and Nathaniel Carter get into a fight at High School, prompting Captain Carter and Colonel O'Neill to get to know each other better. NOW COMPLETE IN 17 PARTS
1. Default Chapter

Title: Getting to Know You  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Spoilers: None  
  
Summary: Charlie O'Neill and Nathaniel Carter get into a fight at High School, prompting Captain Carter and Colonel O'Neill to get to know each other better.  
  
Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
~ Getting to Know You ~  
  
Copyright (c) 2003, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
The bell rang for the end of classes, and hundreds of children spilled out of their classrooms and away from the school.   
  
Nathaniel Carter, now a strapping 15 year-old every bit like his father, walked down the corridor in big strides, knocking away any person who dared to get in his path. He was royally pissed off because he was now spending his time with his mother, who he hated.   
  
His mother worked in the Air Force, and he rarely ever saw her. This didn't matter to him, he much preferred spending time with his dad, but she insisted on seeing him regularly. Tonight he was going to have to be nice and talk about school and the things he liked doing.   
  
He spat on the floor in annoyance and pushed a lock of his blonde hair behind his ear. He knew it needed to get cut, but he couldn't afford it and his dad told him it looked fine.   
  
He was pulled from his thoughts when he roughly elbowed another boy who was coming towards him. Thinking nothing of it, he carried on down the corridor.   
  
"Hey!"  
  
He turned around, ready for a fight. Facing him was Charlie O'Neill. He was older than Nathan, much to his disgust.   
  
"Yeah? You got something to say, O'Neill?"  
  
"Yeah! Think you're tough, do you? Think you can just walk down the corridors and push people out of the way?"  
  
"Yeah, I do!"  
  
"Oh, really?"  
  
"You wanna take this outside, O'Neill?"  
  
"Yeah! Yeah, maybe I do!"  
  
By this time, a crowd of excited teenagers had appeared, cheering on their friends.   
  
"Go on, Nate! Beat him up!"  
  
"Knock his block off, Charlie!"  
  
**********  
  
In the briefing room, Jack O'Neill sighed and looked down at the folder in his hands. Daniel had been going on about his rocks for hours, and he had to get home to be with Charlie. He only had another four days with his son and then he would go back to living with Sara until their next visit. He looked at his watch and sighed. 3:45pm. He'd be on his way home now.   
  
Samantha Carter sat next to her CO, wondering what on earth she was going to talk to Nathan about tonight. He was going through an extremely difficult and rebellious stage, no doubt the work of his father Jonas. He normally just yelled at her for a while and stamped upstairs to his room, slamming the door. Still, he was her son and she loved him. He'd also be home by how, which would make him more angry.   
  
**********  
  
Nathaniel pulled back his fist and slammed it into Charlie's face, hearing a satisfying crack as he made contact with his nose.   
  
Charlie stumbled back, his hand flying to his nose to stop the flow of blood.   
  
Nathaniel grinned, and turned around to greet his friends. Charlie found his strength again and rugby-tackled him to the ground, beating at him with both fists.   
  
Nathaniel pulled Charlie off of him and back down onto the grass, not anticipating Charlie sticking his knee up into his crotch.   
  
"Fuck!"  
  
As Nathaniel pulled himself to his feet Charlie struck him another blow to his nose.   
  
By this time their fellow students were going wild with excitement.   
  
"Go on Nate! Finish him off!"  
  
"You can do it, Charlie! Rip his bollocks off!"  
  
**********  
  
Daniel finally stopped talking about his artefacts, and Jack fought back the urge to cheer. He waited for General Hammond to officially finish the debriefing and then he would be on his way home to see Charlie.   
  
"Thank you, SG-1. You have no offworld missions scheduled for the next four days, so it'd be a good time to catch up on paperwork, Colonel."  
  
"Yes, sir," Jack replied, even though he had no intention of doing so.   
  
Sam got up and went to the locker room, quickly pulling on her clothes and leaving the base. She was already late, and Nathan would be in a terrible mood if he hadn't had anything to eat.   
  
**********  
  
"OI! STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!"  
  
Unfortunately, the teachers had arrived. The watching students instantly vanished leaving Charlie and Nathaniel by themselves.   
  
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"  
  
Nathaniel and Charlie did not answer.   
  
"GO TO THE NURSE'S OFFICE NOW, AND THEN WAIT IN MY OFFICE!"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
**********  
  
Jack arrived home, whistling cheerfully. Now he had the whole night to spend with his son.  
  
"Charlie! Charlie, I'm back."  
  
There was no reply, and Jack couldn't hear the thudding of his music stereo coming through the ceiling.   
  
"Charlie?"  
  
Worriedly, he went over to the answering machine. The display read 1 message. Still concerned, he pressed the play button.   
  
"Mr O'Neill, this is Charlie's school principal. I'm afraid he's been involved in an incident with another pupil today, and I need you to come to my office immediately. Thank you."  
  
"Oh, for crying out loud!" Jack moaned, pulling his coat back on and heading back out to the car.  
  
**********  
  
"Nate! Nate, I'm back! Listen, I'm sorry I'm late, but..."  
  
Sam looked around the room in confusion. He wasn't there. Worriedly, she climbed the stairs to his room but didn't find him there either.   
  
"Nate? Nate, are you here?" she asked, but got no reply.   
  
She went back downstairs and was about to go back out when her eye fell on the answering machine. Wearily, she pressed the play button.   
  
"Miss Carter, this is Nathaniel's school principal. I'm afraid he's been involved in an incident with another pupil today, and I need you to come to my office immediately. Thank you."  
  
"Oh, Nate!" she shouted angrily at nobody in particular, pulling her coat back on and going out to her car.   
  
**********  
  
Nathaniel and Charlie sat on chairs in the principal's office, awaiting their doom at the hands of their parents.   
  
"What'd ya have to go and call my mom for, sir?" Nate asked, picking at the dried blood on his knee.   
  
"Your father wasn't in, Nathaniel."  
  
"Great."  
  
There was a knock on the door that Charlie instantly recognised as his father's. He swallowed.   
  
"Come in."  
  
Charlie's suspicions were correct - his father was standing in the doorway.   
  
"Come in, Mr O'Neill," the principal said, "We're just waiting on the other parent."  
  
Jack sat down next to Charlie, looking at the boy opposite him. There was something about him that looked familiar, but Jack couldn't quite put his finger on it.   
  
There was a second knock on the door.   
  
"Come in."  
  
Sam entered the room and her eyes nearly fell out of her head.   
  
Jack stood up to meet her and looked equally shocked.   
  
"Carter?"  
  
"Sir?" she squeaked.   
  
Charlie and Nathaniel looked at each other. This day was getting weirder by the minute.  
  
**********  
  
Sam sat down, swallowing nervously. Oh shit, she thought, the Colonel is going to want an explanation for this...  
  
Jack sat down, still half-paralysed with shock. Carter had a son? She'd never mentioned him. Why?  
  
The principal looked at them.   
  
"You know each other?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, we work together," Jack replied, casting a look over at Sam who was incredibly interested in her shoes.   
  
"Ah, I see. Well, I'm sure you know why we're here. Charlie and Nathaniel got into a fight after school today, and they both sustained some injuries."  
  
Sam looked at Nathaniel and was shocked to see his left eye was blackening and his nose was bruised and swollen, as well as having a split lip and a cut knee.   
  
Jack looked at Charlie. His nose was definitely broken, and his face was bruised, and his hands were cut.   
  
Sam couldn't bear to think of how she and Jack would be able to talk afterwards. Her son had broken his son's nose!  
  
"What I want to know is how this started," the principal continued, looking at the two boys.   
  
They said nothing, just looked at the floor.   
  
"Boys..." his voice carried an unspoken warning.  
  
"He did it!" they shouted in unison, pointing at each other.   
  
"I don't care who started it, just why!" the principal snapped, turning redder by the second.   
  
"No reason, sir."  
  
"No, sir."  
  
The principal sighed, and took a pen from his pocket. Twisting it between his fingers, he looked at Sam and Jack.   
  
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to suspend them for a week," he said.   
  
Nathaniel almost cheered, but Sam and Jack knew that this was going to be a problem.   
  
"Uh...that's sort of a problem," Jack began.   
  
"You see, we work very long hours," Sam continued.  
  
"And we wouldn't be in for the entire day," Jack finished.   
  
The principal looked at the two of them carefully.   
  
"Would it be possible to get some time off?" he asked.   
  
Jack pictured the scene in his head. "Oh, excuse me, General Hammond, my son and Carter's son decided to beat the crap out of each other today, so they got suspended. Would you mind letting us take a week off?"  
  
"We could try," Sam said, looking at Jack.   
  
Jack nodded.   
  
"Or ya could take us to work with ya," Nathaniel suggested, picking at the scab on his knee.   
  
"I...don't think..."  
  
Charlie joined in. "Oh, please dad!"  
  
Jack looked at Sam in desperation. She looked back, equally distressed.   
  
"You'd be spending the entire week together, you do realise that," Jack said.   
  
Charlie looked at Nathan, and Nathan looked at Charlie.  
  
"And we still have to clear it with Hammond," Sam said.   
  
"Yeah. I think that's gonna be our biggest problem."  
  
The principal sighed. "I don't have a problem with it as long as your employer is willing to take full responsibility for them. Oh, and I'll need that in writing."  
  
**********  
  
Sam and Jack walked ahead of their sons as they exited the school.  
  
"You mind telling me why I never heard of Nathan before?" Jack asked.   
  
Sam stiffened. "You never asked, sir."  
  
"Well, we're gonna be getting to know each other a little more in the next week."  
  
"Yes, sir. We have to see General Hammond, though."  
  
"Yeah. He isn't going to like this one little bit, is he?"  
  
"To be honest, sir, I don't like this one little bit."  
  
"No. No, neither do I."  
  
**********  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Next Time: Sam and Jack explain themselves to General Hammond and someone hears about the situation. By 0900 hours the entire base knows about it! How will Sam and Jack cope? 


	2. Getting to Know You: Part 2

Title: Getting to Know You: Part 2  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Spoilers: None  
  
Summary: Jack and Sam have some explaining to do.  
  
Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
~ Getting to Know You: Part 2 ~  
  
Copyright (c) 2003, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
"YOU DID WHAT?"  
  
**********  
  
"Hey - have you heard the latest news?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Well, apparently Captain Carter has a son!"  
  
"No! Really?"  
  
"That's not all, my friend. You know Colonel O'Neill's son Charlie?"  
  
"They're gay?"  
  
"No, idiot, they're not gay, they got into a fight at their school!"  
  
"WOW!"  
  
"Carter's son only broke Charlie's nose!"  
  
"OH MY GOD! Come on, we have to spread this!"  
  
**********  
  
"How could you have even thought about doing that?"  
  
**********  
  
"YOU DID WHAT?"  
  
General Hammond stood up from behind his desk and slammed his hands down on the table.  
  
"I can't believe you did that!" he said, "You are compromising the very safety of this planet!"  
  
"Well...we...."  
  
"I think we can explain..."  
  
General Hammond waited patiently as Sam and Jack looked blankly at each other.   
  
"No, I don't think we can."  
  
"We cannot have two teenage boys roaming this facility!" he shouted, "Have you both lost your minds?"  
  
"His principal thought it would be a good idea.." Jack started, but Hammond's look cut him off.  
  
"And what if one of them runs into the gateroom, son? What if one of them finds the Stargate? This is a MASSIVE security breach!"  
  
"We could keep them confined in a certain room, sir...maybe even lock them.." Sam suggested.  
  
"I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, Captain, but teenage boys don't stay locked up for very long - especially if they're your sons," he said, looking from Sam to Jack.  
  
"We sure as hell didn't see this coming, General," Jack said, "Hell, I didn't even know Carter had a son."  
  
"This is a fine mess we're in, isn't it people," Hammond said, sitting back down.   
  
"I'm sorry to have put you in this position, General," Sam said, her hands twisting behind her back.  
  
Hammond paused for a long moment, and then sighed deeply.  
  
"I suppose I have agree with you," he said, looking up at Sam and Jack with a twinkle in his eye, "After all, I've been there."  
  
Jack and Sam smiled, and simultaneously said, "Thank you, sir."  
  
"Ah - but!" Hammond warned, "They are to be kept away from the Stargate and anything to do with the Stargate!"  
  
"Um, would that include my lab, sir?"  
  
"Yes, Captain, it would You are dismissed, people. They start tomorrow?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Send them in here first. I'll have something sorted out for them."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
**********  
  
"Hey, Janet, have you heard the latest rumour?"  
  
"Kelly, I really haven't got the time for this..."  
  
"Oh, but Janet! This is such a good one! It's about Captain Carter and Colonel O'Neill!"  
  
"Whatever it is, it probably isn't true."  
  
"Oh, but it is! First, Carter actually has a son!"  
  
Janet's eyes widened. "Wh - she - Sam has a son? Are you sure about this Kelly?"  
  
"Yeah. He's a teenager, and he just happens to go to the same school as Colonel O'Neill's son Charlie!"  
  
"Oh my god - they're not gay, are they?"  
  
"No! They're not gay - they got into a fight and beat the crap out of each other! Carter's son broke Charlie's nose!"  
  
"Oh, my god!" said Janet.  
  
"Seeya later, Jan - I've gotta go spread this round!"  
  
**********  
  
Sam and Jack walked out of Hammond's office and turned the corner to be met with stares from several airmen, who promptly started talking about the weather in a very loud voice.   
  
They passed them by, and Jack whispered to Sam, "How the hell do they know about it?"  
  
"I haven't told anybody, sir," said Sam, still wracked with guilt. "Uh...how's Charlie's nose, sir?"  
  
Jack stiffened a little. "He's at home, resting. He'll be fine in a couple of weeks."  
  
"Oh, God - sir, I'm sorry, I had no idea -"  
  
"No need to apologise on behalf of your son, Captain. I'll just expect an apology from him."  
  
"Uh...with respect, sir...that might be a bit of a problem..."  
  
"Captain?" Jack asked, beginning to feel anger building in him again.  
  
"It's not that I wouldn't try to make him, sir, I would - he needs to apologise, but he wouldn't do it!"  
  
"The hell he won't!" Jack said angrily, "Your son broke my son's nose, Captain!"  
  
"Yes, sir, I know that..."  
  
"Apology. Tomorrow," he said, walking into his office and slamming the door shut.   
  
Sam sighed deeply and turned around to see a lot of airmen staring at her.  
  
Angrily, she said:  
  
"WHAT? Don't you all have jobs to do?"   
  
She took off down the corridor and headed for the sanctuary of her lab.  
  
**********  
  
She closed the door behind her and sank to the floor, putting her head in her hands and cursing Jonas with every word she knew under the sun.  
  
"Bad day?"  
  
Sam jumped and looked up to see Janet standing in front of her.  
  
"Janet!" she squeaked, "What are you doing in my lab?"  
  
"I came to see you," she said.  
  
"Oh, let me guess what you came to see me about," Sam said bitterly, standing up and going over to her chair.  
  
"You never told me you had a son, Sam."  
  
"I know. I never told anybody."  
  
"But why? Surely he can't be that bad?" Janet asked.  
  
Sam took a deep breath. "Jonas has the majority of the custody with Nate, so I only see him for a few weeks in a year, not including Christmas and his birthday. Unfortunately, that means that most of his father's influence has rubbed off on him, leading to the nose-breaking incident yesterday."  
  
"Oh, Sam - I had no idea," Janet said, putting her hand on Sam's.  
  
Sam smiled weakly. "Every year I send him a present at Christmas and his birthday, and every year he sends it back, with a little note saying something along the lines of 'Thanks, but no thanks.' If I try to go and see him, Jonas will stand at the front door, throw a few insults at me and then shut the door in my face. It's not that I haven't tried, Jan - I have! He just...he doesn't love me any more."  
  
"Sam, honey, of course he loves you. He's your son!"  
  
"He told me the other night that he hated me and wanted to go back with his dad. I tried to explain that his dad would be out getting drunk and laid with who knows how many women, but he wouldn't have it. He told me that he hated me, right to my face. And now Colonel O'Neill wants me to demand him to apologise to Charlie."  
  
"But he has to," said Janet, straightening her back a little in the chair.  
  
"I know that! Christ, when I get home I'll give him the third degree and then some, but he doesn't listen to me any more. You know, I was really enjoying my job here. I was finally getting on well with the Colonel, he was finally starting to accept me, and then this happens."  
  
"Oh, Sam," said Janet, pulling her into her arms, "It'll be okay. Everything will be okay in the end."  
  
"That's just it. They've both been suspended for a week, and they're coming here."  
  
"Oh my God."  
  
"Exactly. And the Colonel won't even look at me."  
  
**********  
  
"Daniel? Teal'c? Could you come here for a moment?"  
  
"We are busy, Kelly."  
  
"Come on, Teal'c! The jello can wait - this is important!"  
  
"What?" Daniel asked.  
  
"Well - you won't believe this - Carter has a son!"  
  
"What? No - she never told us about this!"  
  
"That's because she's ashamed of him," Kelly smiled, proud at the little detail she'd added.  
  
"Kelly, what are you talking about?"  
  
"Well, he and Colonel O'Neill's son go to the same school," she said.  
  
"And...?"  
  
"And they beat the crap out of each other yesterday!" Kelly almost shrieked in delight.  
  
Daniel stood up suddenly, "Kelly, stop it!"  
  
"Carter's son broke Charlie's nose!" she smiled.  
  
"I cannot believe this to be true. I will consult O'Neill."  
  
Teal'c got up and left the commissary for Jack's office. Daniel shook his head and followed Teal'c, but he was heading for Sam's office.  
  
Kelly sat down at their table with an evil smile, and finished the last of the jello.  
  
**********  
  
Jack heard a knock on his door and frowned. "Who is it?" he asked.  
  
"It is I, O'Neill."  
  
Jack let him in in the hope that he hadn't heard yet.  
  
"Hey, Teal'c. What's bugging you?"  
  
"There are no insects on my person, O'Neill."  
  
"No, I know that, it's an expres..never mind. What did you wanna speak to me about?"  
  
"There is a rumour cicrulating that..."  
  
"Oh, for crying out loud! Who told you?"  
  
"I merely wish to know if it is the truth, O'Neill. If it is not, I will deal with the person in question."  
  
"Yes, it's true, Teal'c, and yes, the both of them are coming here tomorrow for a week."  
  
"Is that not a breach of your security, O'Neill?"  
  
"It is, Teal'c, but Hammond cleared it. He'll have my ass if anything happens."  
  
**********  
  
Daniel knocked softly on the door of Sam's lab.   
  
"Come in."  
  
He stepped inside and looked at Sam carefully.  
  
"Let me guess," she said dryly, "You've heard. Yes, Daniel, it's true."  
  
"I'm not here to accuse you, Sam. I just want to know what happened," Daniel said, sitting down opposite her.  
  
"My son beat the crap out of the Colonel's son. I think he bumped into him in the corridor or something, that's all it took. I'm pretty sure that Charlie fought back, but Nate's got his father's strength - I mean, I don't even want to think about what he could do..." Sam's voice drifted off.  
  
"He can't be all bad," Daniel smiled, "Not if you're his mom."  
  
Sam sighed. "Daniel, the only thing Nate inherited from me was my eyes."  
  
"Well, I can't believe that," said Daniel, "You wouldn't have allowed it."  
  
"I can't control him any more, Daniel. He's about half my age and I'm scared of him - scared of my own son!"  
  
"Come here," Daniel said, pulling her into his arms and hugging her tightly.  
  
"They're both coming here tomorrow for a week," Sam said into his shoulder, "So you'll be able to see exactly what he's like."  
  
**********  
  
TO BE CONTINUED....  
  
Next time: Charlie and Nathan wreak havoc about the SGC, and the odds continue to stack against Sam with the arrival of Nathan's father. 


	3. Getting to Know You: Part 3

Title: Getting to Know You: Part 3  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Spoilers: None  
  
Summary: Charlie and Nathan wreak havoc about the SGC, and the odds continue to stack against Sam with the arrival of Nathan's father.  
  
Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
~ Getting to Know You: Part 3 ~  
  
Copyright (c) 2003, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
Sam pulled up in her parking space and looked across at Nathan.   
  
"Nate, if you make any trouble for me today, I..."  
  
"Yeah, okay, whatever.." he said, opening the door.  
  
"I mean it!" she said, "This is important!"  
  
"Sure! I'll just sit down and shut up, is that what you want?"  
  
"I don't want you to get in a fight!" Sam said, "And I want you to be polite!"  
  
**********  
  
Jack looked at Charlie.  
  
"Don't let him provoke you again. Just ignore him!"  
  
"But, dad..."  
  
"I mean it, Charlie! Ignore him! I'll be round to check on you from time to time..."  
  
"Oh, dad...I'm nearly-"  
  
"I know how old you are, Charlie."  
  
"Yes, dad."  
  
**********  
  
After a brief meeting with General Hammond, Sam directed Nathan to a small room that contained just one desk, a cupboard and his arch nemesis - Charlie O'Neill.  
  
The two boys glared at each other, and Sam realised that Jack was also in the room. Avoiding his eyes, she told Nate to sit down and went over to her commanding officer.  
  
"What have we got for them to do?" she asked.  
  
"Untwisting paperclips," Jack said, throwing his son an apologetic look.  
  
Nathan exploded. "WHAT? I'm not sitting here untwisting paperclips!"  
  
"You will do what you are damned well told!" Jack shouted.  
  
"Nathan!" Sam hissed, "This is a punishment, not a holiday. Please, just do what we ask."  
  
Nathan regarded his mother with disdain and sighed deeply, grabbing a box of paperclips and emptying them onto the table. Then, he began to sort through them.   
  
Charlie got his own box out and started to sort them. Sam attempted to build some bridges.  
  
"Don't worry, boys, you won't be doing this all day," she smiled weakly. Charlie just glared at her and Nathan muttered something under his breath but strangely kept his temper.  
  
Sam walked out of the room, followed closely by Colonel O'Neill. He told the airman at the door to make sure that they didn't fight, but they were welcome to destroy the room. The airman swallowed nervously and nodded.   
  
Sam was about to walk away when her Colonel's voice stopped her.  
  
"What sort of discipline have you taught that boy, Carter?" he said, "It obviously isn't enough!"  
  
Sam's temper snapped. "Don't tell me how to raise my own son, Colonel!" she spat, and walked away from him, knowing that she would probably pay for that later.  
  
**********  
  
"Oh, my - did you hear about Carter's son? He's so rude! Apparently he shouted at Colonel O'Neill for no reason!"  
  
"Where'd you hear that?"  
  
"From the man himself! Says that Carter hasn't disciplined him properly - doesn't surprise me at all."  
  
"How old is he? 16? She must have been real young when she had him - that says it all."  
  
"I know. Maybe we should have a talk with her - give her some friendly advice on parenting!"  
  
"Even though you don't have any kids, and neither do I?"  
  
"Come on - you're not telling me that you actually like her?"  
  
"No! I'm just saying that maybe we shouldn't..."  
  
"Are you coming or not?"  
  
**********  
  
Sam slammed the door of her lab behind her and sank to the floor, her back pressed against the door. This was worse than she had imagined - though Nathan had been surprisingly well-behaved. It hadn't seemed that way to anyone else, but Sam knew when her son was trying to be good, and this was one of those days.  
  
She got up from the door and went over to her computer, finding that hard work would be the best thing to take her mind off of her family crisis. She was reaching for a pile of files when there was a knock on her door and two people she really didn't want to see entered.  
  
Kelly and Nina. The SGC gossips. Both were only young lieutenants, which made Sam a superior officer, but she always felt nervous whenever they turned up.   
  
"What can I do for you ladies?" Sam asked, trying to pretend that she cared.  
  
"We've just heard about your son - what's his name again?" Kelly asked, a slight sneer playing around the corner of her mouth. Sam instantly went on the defensive.  
  
"What's your point?" she asked, folding her arms.   
  
"Well, he's rude, impolite, unattractive..."  
  
"What's the matter, Kelly," Sam smiled, "He turn you down for a date?"  
  
"I wouldn't go out with your son if I got paid!" Kelly snapped, annoyed that Sam had been able to get one on her.  
  
"I'm sure he wouldn't go out with you," Sam replied cooly.  
  
"You should be ashamed of the way you brought him up!" Kelly said, the sneer returning, "He's a disgrace to your name!"  
  
"Thank you for that," Sam said, her anger rising as she went to the door. "Now, unless there's anything else you'd like to say..?"  
  
"No. I think that just about wraps it up," Kelly said. "Your son is a freak, Captain Carter. Gonna be just like you."  
  
Sam angrily slammed the door.  
  
"Ooh, dear," said a cool voice from behind her, "Not making any new friends, huh?"  
  
Sam spun around to see Jonas sitting quite cooly on her desk, one leg draped over the other, smoking a cigarette.  
  
"Hey, baby," he smiled.  
  
**********  
  
Charlie and Nathan sat in complete silence, angrily untwisting paperclips.   
  
"This job sucks," Charlie said.  
  
"Yeah," Nathan replied, "That's one thing I'd agree with you on."  
  
"So..." said Charlie, "Your mom and dad are separated too, huh?"  
  
Nathan stiffened. "What's your point?" he asked.  
  
"Nothing, I was just saying that mine are too."  
  
"Good for you," Nathan countered, cursing under his breath as he poked himself with the end of a paperclip.  
  
"I...I live with my dad," Charlie said, "But I see my mum a lot."  
  
"I'd never have guessed that," Nathan said sarcastically, bending over in his seat to pick up a paperclip that he'd dropped on the floor.  
  
Charlie was determined not to be put off, so he continued. "What about you?"  
  
"I live with my dad," Nathan said, clearly not wanting to take the conversation any further.  
  
Like his father, Charlie didn't really know when to stop talking.  
  
"What about your mom?" he asked.  
  
Nathan swallowed his anger. "I don't see her very often, okay? Not very often at all."  
  
Charlie finally realised when to end the conversation, so he went back to his paperclips.  
  
**********  
  
Jonas put out his cigarette, stubbing the butt into Sam's mug of coffee.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked, turning her back on him.  
  
"I came to see my son," he said, jumping down off of the table with a thud.  
  
"For christ's sake, Jonas, you see him for over two-thirds of every year!" she snapped, "Why'd you have to come and see him now?"  
  
"There's nothing in the rules to say I can't see him whenever the hell I want!"   
  
he said, with deceptive laziness. Sam could sense the pent-up tension in him from just a meter away, and it was making her nervous.  
  
"He's fine," she said, "But he's a couple of floors up from here."  
  
Jonas sighed, and lit up another cigarette. "Who were those two women in here earlier?"  
  
"No friends of mine," Sam said, reaching over and taking the cigarette out of Jonas' hand, taking a deep drag on it.  
  
"You don't smoke," Jonas said, watching her with interest.  
  
"No, I don't," she replied. "They're young lieutenants - I'm an old woman to them, they find it amusing to tease me."  
  
"Nothing about you is old, baby," Jonas replied, trying to move closer to her.   
  
Sam was instantly on her guard, getting up and walking over to the door, putting the desk between herself and Jonas.  
  
**********  
  
Nathan sighed, and threw the last paperclip in the box.   
  
"What do you say we blow this dump and find something interesting?"   
  
Charlie looked up. "We've been told to stay here."  
  
Nathan smirked. "Aw - are you afraid that daddy will be mad at you?"  
  
"Shut up!" Charlie snapped, "At least I respect my parents!"  
  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Nathan shouted, standing up and using his height as an advantage over Charlie.  
  
"You treat your mother like crap!" Charlie replied.  
  
Before either of them knew quite what was happening, they were fighting again, fists and feet flying.  
  
"Oh, hell!" the airman on duty moaned, opening the door. "Uh...boys? BOYS? Could ya stop fighting...please?"  
  
Neither of them paid him any attention, so he grabbed Sergeant Siler, who was passing and looking into the room in surprise.  
  
"Siler - get Colonel O'Neill for me now!!"  
  
**********  
  
"Where'd you say he was?" Jonas asked.  
  
"You can't see him," Sam replied evenly.  
  
"I'll see him if I want to see him!" Jonas spat, moving across the room to her side at frightening speed.  
  
"Get out of here!" Sam ordered, "You'll see him in three weeks' time!"  
  
Jonas raised his hand to strike her but at that precice moment the door to her lab burst open and a very angry-looking Colonel O'Neill stood in the doorway.  
  
"Carter! I - who the hell is he?"  
  
"Never mind," Sam said, walking out of her lab and shutting the door in Jonas' face, "What's wrong?"  
  
"They're fighting again," Jack said, and rushed off down the corridor.  
  
Sam groaned and held onto the doorhandle, knowing that she would also regret this later. She pulled a bunch of keys from her pocket and locked the door, ignoring Jonas' cursing and shouting from inside.  
  
"You bitch!"  
  
"I'll let you out later, Jonas, this is important!" she said, running down the corridor towards the room containing her son.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Next time: Sam reaches breaking point, Nathan opens up to Colonel Makepeace and Charlie makes an astounding discovery. 


	4. Getting to Know You: Part 4

Title: Getting to Know You: Part 4  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Spoilers: None  
  
Summary: Sam reaches breaking point, Nathan opens up to Colonel Makepeace and Charlie makes an astounding discovery.  
  
Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
~ Getting to Know You: Part 4 ~  
  
Copyright (c) 2003, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
Jack reached the room before Sam and dragged the two boys apart, almost throwing Nathan against the wall.   
  
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Jack shouted at Nathan.  
  
Sam entered the room and her anger rose - this man had no right to blame her son for everything that went wrong.  
  
"Nate, are you okay?" she asked, putting herself between Jack and her son.  
  
"Of course he's okay," Jack snarled, "He was hitting Charlie again!"  
  
"And Charlie was damned well hitting him back!" Sam replied, gently dabbing at her son's eye.  
  
"He started it!" Jack said, half-walking, half-dragging Charlie from the room.  
  
Something inside of Sam snapped. Torn between her fear of an insubordination charge and her instinct to defend her son, she rounded on him.   
  
"HOW THE HELL WOULD YOU KNOW?" she shouted, "You weren't even there!"  
  
Jack turned around, still suffering from the shock of his son's fighting and now faced with his 2IC going mental on him.  
  
"Captain," he said, in a warning voice, "My office - ten minutes."  
  
Then he swept away down the corridor with Charlie at his side. Sam watched him go and cursed her stubbornness, turning back to Nathan.  
  
"Are you okay?" she asked, gently lifting a hand to try and touch his face.  
  
"I'm fine!" he snapped, "Just leave me alone!"   
  
With that, Nathan pushed past her and out of the door, slamming it behind him.  
  
Sam sank down on her knees to the floor and for a moment she did nothing, trying to let everything sink in. When it had, she put her head in her hands and fought back her desperate urge to cry.  
  
**********  
  
Kelly and Nina were walking down the corridor past Sam's lab when they heard a pounding noise on the door, and a lot of very angry-sounding swearing from inside.  
  
"Hello?" Kelly asked, bending down to the doorknob and looking inside.  
  
"Get me the hell out of here!" Jonas shouted, banging on the door with his fists.  
  
"We'll be right with you," Kelly said, turning around and casting an evil smile at Nina. "Why d'you reckon Carter's got a man locked in her lab? She finally lost it?"  
  
Nina folded her arms. "Just get him out of there, Kel - I swear, you could hear his cursing in Texas."  
  
"Okay," Kelly said, pulling a bunch of keys from her pocket and randomly sticking one in the lock.   
  
Nina gasped. "Where did you get those keys from?" she asked. Kelly grinned.  
  
"I swiped them off of Sergeant Siler when he wasn't looking - he was talking to Carter about some reactor crap."  
  
"Kelly..."  
  
"Quit acting like you care, Nina! Jeez, I'll give 'em back to him later! What is wrong with you anyhow? You suddenly got a soft spot for her?"  
  
Before Nina could answer, Kelly let out a little whoop of delight as she found the right key and slid it into the lock, opening the door to reveal a very tall, dark, handsome and angry looking-man.  
  
"Hi," she smiled, batting her eyelashes, "I'm Kelly. I'd be happy to.." her voice trailed off as Jonas' expression changed to one of disgust.  
  
"You're the one who said my boy was rude, impolite, unattractive and...what was it? Oh yes, a disgrace to our name?"  
  
Kelly was silent.   
  
"Get the hell out of my way," he said, "And leave my wife and my kid alone."  
  
With that he strode down the corridor and away from the two stunned lieutenants, wondering where the hell Sam was. She couldn't just shut him in her lab whenever she felt like it - who did she think she was?  
  
**********  
  
Nathan ran on down the corridor, not stopping to apologise when he bumped into an airman and sent his papers flying. He was confused, all sorts of thoughts running through his mind.   
  
His father had always told him - he couldn't be wrong, could he? His dad wouldn't lie to him, would he?  
  
He choked back what he hoped was not a sob and continued running, only stopping when he found himself sprawled flat on his back on the floor after running into what he thought was a wall. When his eyes got their focus back and his head stopped spinning, he was in fact looking up at a man.  
  
"Nathaniel?" the man asked boredly, his hands in his pockets.  
  
"Yeah," he replied, defensively, "Who's asking?"  
  
"Mind your own f-" Makepeace stopped himself mid-word. "Come on - I've been given the delightful task of looking after you."  
  
"Who the hell are you?" Nathan asked. Makepeace sighed.   
  
"You can call me sir, now COME ON!"  
  
With a grunt of annoyance strangely similar to Makepeace's own, Nathan followed him.  
  
**********  
  
Sam stood up on her shaking legs and opened the door, fighting furiously at the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She didn't have to put up with Jack O'Neill's crap - she'd only known him for a month, two at the most. He knew nothing about her, and she'd be damned if she was gonna let him slag Nathaniel off for the hell of it.   
  
Biting her lower lip determinedly, she started her walk to her CO's office. She thought about doing a runner, not turning up just to spite him, but then she thought better of it - she would face her problem head-on, even if it did mean a shouting match with her commanding officer.   
  
As she walked past her lab she stopped still and fear flooded through her body. The door was open - she distinctly remembered closing the door before she left and locking Jonas inside - someone had clearly let him out.   
  
**********  
  
Charlie sat down in between Kelly and Nina in the commissary, picking at a piece of pie with his fork. Damn Nathaniel Carter. Damn his mother. Now he was stuck here with two dopey lieutenants who'd been assigned to babysit him.   
  
"So, Charlie," Kelly said with a big smile, "We know it must have been really terrible for you to get into that fight with Nathan - he's such a bully!"  
  
Charlie mumbled something non-committally and pretended to eat his piece of pie, flicking his wrist expertly and depositing the crumbs on the floor.   
  
"It's all his mother's fault," Kelly continued, "Not looking after him and all - no wonder he turned out the way he did."  
  
It suddenly struck Charlie that he knew nothing about Nathan's mother, and neither in fact, did his father, who would presently be tearing her off a strip in his office. A brief feeling of guilt flooded him, but was soon clouded with annoyance as Kelly put her hand on his arm.   
  
"I don't know her, and neither do you," he said, pushing the pie away from him with a swipe of his fist.   
  
"My thoughts exactly, Charlie," Nina said, shooting Kelly a piercing look. Kelly frowned.  
  
"She only has time for her work, nobody else," Kelly said slowly, "She's a horrible person."  
  
Charlie stood up, brushed the crumbs from his jacket and looked down at Kelly.   
  
"So are you," he replied calmly, before strolling out of the room whistling, his hands jammed into his pockets. Kelly was too shocked to move.  
  
**********  
  
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?" Jack shouted, slamming his fist down on the table, "You cannot talk to me like that, Captain!"  
  
"You automatically assumed that it was my son who started the little fight, sir, and I'm sorry if this offends you but I take aversion to that."  
  
"What? Come on, Carter!" Jack said, "We both know who the troublemaker is between Charlie and Nathan!"  
  
Sam's temper snapped, and before she knew what she was doing the flat of her hand had made contact with Jack's cheek and a resounding slapping noise filled the room.   
  
"You know nothing about me," she said, clenching her fists as her hands began to tremble.  
  
Jack looked up at her, stunned by the slap but also his 2IC herself. She looked angry, and hurt.  
  
"You know nothing about my life, and you know nothing about my son. Leave me alone, Colonel," she said, turning on her heel and walking out of the office, calmly shutting the door behind her.   
  
Jack sank down into his chair and sighed deeply, putting his head in his hands.   
  
She was right, dammit. He had no right whatsoever to judge her, to make assumptions about her personal life. She knew it - but he still had to be told.  
  
"Goddamit, Jack," he grumbled, swiping at his desk in anger. Then, he got up and left his office in search of Captain Carter, to wright the wrongs he had made.   
  
She sure as hell wasn't going to make it easy for him.  
  
**********  
  
Nathan sat down at the desk in front of Colonel Makepeace, feeling tired and drained from all of the shouting that was going on, both inside and outside of his head.   
  
"You need to learn some respect," Robert said, twisting his hands together.   
  
Nathan suddenly heard his father's voice.   
  
"You don't need her, Nate. She doesn't love you, the evil bitch. But I do - you're my boy, Nate."  
  
He bit on his lip. His father had always told him about how bad his mother was, and Nathan had never once stopped to ask himself if he thought this was true. He felt a headache building.  
  
"She doesn't love you - I do. She would have killed you if it wasn't for me."  
  
Robert looked down at the boy, who had turned a shade paler.   
  
"You okay, kid?" he asked, trying to sound as if he cared.  
  
"You come and live with me, boy - you don't need her. She won't love you - she hates you."  
  
The two men were silent for a moment, and then Nathan's emotional floodgates opened.  
  
"My dad..." he said, trying to form the words in his mouth, "He told me that she didn't want me. She didn't love me."  
  
Robert looked up, realising that the kid was trying to tell him something of great importance.  
  
"He called her horrible names, told me she was evil. I...I never once stopped to think, stopped to wonder if it was true."  
  
He looked down at his hands.   
  
"He told me that I didn't love her, so that's what I thought, that's how I acted - but now I know that that's just not true."  
  
Robert was finding it hard to believe that such a tough kid could be so emotional, but then he remembered that he'd thought the same thing with Sam Carter herself.  
  
"It's not me you should be telling this, son. It's your mother."  
  
**********  
  
Charlie wandered along the corridor and stopped outside of an open door, eavesdropping.  
  
"When are they next due to depart?"  
  
"0700 hours tomorrow - we've got their kit and the malp set up."  
  
"What about the gate? Is it functional yet?"  
  
Charlie's eyes widened and he edged closer to the room to get a better hearing.  
  
"Naw - Siler and his team are still working on it. Alien technology is pretty volatile."  
  
"Well, we are dealing with a giant donut that sends people to the other side of the universe."  
  
Charlie stood stock still. Alien technology? Giant donut? Other side of the universe?  
  
"Holy shit," he murmured.  
  
**********  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Next time: Jack's eating humble pie and Charlie tries to share his secret with Nathan. 


	5. Getting to Know You: Part 5

Title: Getting to Know You: Part 5  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Spoilers: None  
  
Summary: Jack's eating humble pie and Charlie tries to share his secret with Nathan.  
  
Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
~ Getting to Know You: Part 5 ~  
  
Copyright (c) 2003, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
Charlie backed away from the open door, a grin spreading slowly across his face.   
  
If this was true, then...this was what his dad was doing every day! With a rush of excitement, he continued on down the corridor and ran straight into Kelly.  
  
"Charles!" she said angrily, grabbing hold of his collar, "You will come with me, now!"  
  
"For crying out loud!" he groaned, shrugging out of her grip.  
  
"You may not speak to me like that - you're getting as bad as Carter's son!"   
  
Kelly said indignantly.  
  
"Let go of my damn collar!" Charlie protested, "And it's Charlie, NOT Charles!"  
  
"I will call you what I like, young man," she said, depositing him in another room and closing the door behind him. He was surprised to see Nathan, and even more surprised to see a tall bloke with him, who looked very pissed off.  
  
"Who are you?" Charlie asked.  
  
"He won't tell you," Nathan said, turning around in his chair, "You just have to call him 'sir.'"  
  
Charlie grunted and sat down next to Nathan. Makepeace was amused to notice that Nathan sat up straight in his chair, whilst Charlie slouched comfortably. They were so like their parents, it was uncanny.  
  
"Now, I've been assigned to guard both you boys, and if you even think about fighting again I'll kick both of your asses around the block, got it?"  
  
"Yes, sir," Nathan and Charlie replied, looking at each other a little nervously.  
  
Makepeace smiled and sat behind his desk, putting his feet up on the top of it.  
  
**********  
  
Jack O'Neill cursed as he half-walked, half-jogged to Carter's office. His knee really wasn't in the best condition to be doing this, and was currently reminding him of the fact.  
  
He knocked on the door, but there was no reply. Biting back a sigh, he knocked again. When there was no reply, he bit his lip and called her name.  
  
"Carter! Carter, it's me. Could ya open the door?"  
  
There was no response. Dammit, Carter, he thought, I'm trying to apologise here!   
  
Then, he reminded himself that this was, ultimately, his fault, and tried again.  
  
"Carter, for crying out loud! My knee's already killing me but if I have to break down this door I will!"  
  
With a sigh, he straightened up and heard his back creaking.  
  
"That wouldn't be a good idea, sir," a dry voice said from behind him.   
  
He jumped, and turned around to see Sam standing behind him, with her arms folded.  
  
"Carter?" he asked, "Ah. Ya see, I thought you were..."  
  
"You might wanna check that I'm actually in there before you stand talking to the door for half an hour," she said, biting her lip as she realised how spiteful she must have sounded.  
  
"Can I come in?" he asked, un-perturbed by her anger.  
  
"Sure," she said, unlocking the door and going inside.  
  
He closed it behind him, taking in the marvel that was his 2IC's lab. There were piles of books everywhere, and every possible surface was covered in an array of scientific instruments.  
  
"Carter, I just..."  
  
He looked up at her, praying that there would be some support in those beautiful eyes of hers. He found none, of course. He didn't deserve any.  
  
"I wanted to apologise for being such an ass today," he said, twisting his hands nervously.   
  
She said nothing, just kept her gaze on his. Angry, hurt and sad.  
  
"I know it must have pissed ya off..." he said, about to continue. She cut him off.  
  
"No, Colonel, I'll tell you what pisses me off," she said, her voice laced with anger as she took a step towards him, "It's when people decide to lay all of the blame on ME!"  
  
"Carter," he began, but she cut him off with a wave of her hand.  
  
"They just assume that it's all my fault!" she continued, her voice raising, "When they have no idea what really goes on! No, that's what pisses me off.  
  
They spread it around - how badly I've raised my son!" Her voice became pained, but Jack didn't interrupt her this time.  
  
"He's my son," she said, swallowing a sob that threatened to break from her throat, "I love him. I did my best for him, but you have no idea WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH!"  
  
With the last sentence, she began to cry. Tears of anger spilled down her cheeks, as she tried to brush them away with her shirtsleeves. Embarrassed, she turned away from him.  
  
Jack watched her sadly, guiltily. Her shoulders were shaking from her tears, and her sleeves were damp from the ones she'd tried to wipe away.   
  
Slowly, he went over to her and pulled her closer into him. He felt her hands clench into fists as he did so, and she fought against him, hitting him in the chest.  
  
She wasn't hurting him, her attack being greatly weakened and sloppy. He let her release her anger and frustration on him, closed his eyes as she slowly broke down and collapsed into his arms.  
  
"I'm sorry," he whispered, "It's okay, Carter."  
  
**********  
  
Makepeace grunted and brought his feet back down onto the floor.  
  
"I gotta take a leak. Now, do I have to take you boys with me, or will you promise not to fight here on your own?"  
  
Nathan shuddered, and Charlie sat up in his chair.  
  
"Oh, we'll be fine, sir, I promise I won't beat the snot out of my friend," he said sarcastically.  
  
"You are too damned much like your father," Makepeace said, walking out of the room and slamming the door behind him, locking it for safety.  
  
Once he was certain that Makepeace had gone, Charlie turned around in his chair to look at Nathan.  
  
"You're not gonna believe what I found a minute ago," he said excitedly.  
  
"Your dick?" Nathan replied dryly, "Oh, I don't think it could have been, Charlie."  
  
"Would you shut up a minute?" Charlie asked, annoyed that Nathan had managed to get one over on him.  
  
"What?" Nathan asked, looking at his hands.  
  
"I found out something...incredible. Something that is just totally cool! I doubt you'll believe me..."  
  
"Me too."  
  
"Nathan! Shut up! I'm trying to tell you something important here!"  
  
"If there is a point to this, Charlie, please feel free to come to it," Nathan said, shooting Charlie one of his mother's death-glares.  
  
"Okay. I found out what our parents do each day."  
  
Nathan rolled his eyes. "Holy Hannah, Charlie, we know what they do! They analyse deep-space radar telemetry!"  
  
"No, no, no!" Charlie argued, "That's a cover story. C'mon, do you really think my dad would sit there and look at a piece of paper about a group of rocks?"  
  
"If he had the motivation," Nathan said.  
  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Charlie asked, his temper flaring.  
  
"I think he fancies my mom," Nathan said.  
  
"Oh, that is bullshit!" Charlie shouted, "And we've gone totally off-topic here!"  
  
"Come on, then! What do they really do all day? Don't tell me - they're the men in black!" Nathan shot back.  
  
"They have this thing, this alien device," Charlie said. Nathan grunted something, but let him carry on. "It's called a Stargate."  
  
Charlie looked at him excitedly, his chocolate-brown eyes sparkling with excitement.  
  
Nathan looked back at him. "Yeah, you've got a great idea for a story there, Charlie. I think ya should take it further."  
  
"Shut up! You don't believe me? I heard two technicians talking about it!"  
  
"You ever heard of a boring job?" Nathan asked, "Of fantasy and make-believe?"  
  
"Why else do you think they've got us locked up in this crummy room?" Charlie shouted, "For crying out loud, Nathan, it's obvious!"  
  
"Fine," Nathan said, folding his arms. "If there really is a Stargate, you can show it to me."  
  
"Show it t...yeah! Yeah, I will show it to you!" Charlie said, "I'll prove it does exist!"  
  
"Ten bucks says you won't," Nathan said, holding out his hand.  
  
"Deal," Charlie agreed, taking Nathan's hand in his and shaking it.  
  
At that point, Makepeace entered the room and sighed dramatically.   
  
"Sorry, ladies, am I interrupting something?" he asked.  
  
Nathan rolled his eyes, pulling away from Charlie. Charlie groaned, pulling away from Nathan.  
  
"Good. Now, you just sit there and be good," Makepeace said, putting his feet back up on the desk.  
  
**********  
  
Jack held her in his arms for a long time, waiting for her to calm.   
  
Guilt lay on his shoulders like a giant weight, squeezed at his heart like a fist.  
  
He reached into his pocket with one hand and pulled out a large handkerchief, offering it to her.  
  
When she paused and looked at him suspiciously, he added:  
  
"It's clean, I swear."  
  
With a small laugh she took the material from him and attempted to tidy herself.  
  
"Thank you, sir," she said, awkwardly pulling away from him, not wanting to leave his warmth.  
  
"Carter, if you ever need to talk...you know I'm always here."  
  
She looked up at him with a weak smile.   
  
"Thank you, sir, but you'd need a lot of time and patience."  
  
"Try me," he said softly.  
  
**********  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Next time: Charlie's on a quest to prove Nathan wrong, and Sam opens up to Jack. 


	6. Getting to Know You: Part 6

Title: Getting to Know You: Part 6  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Spoilers: None  
  
Summary: Charlie's on a quest to prove Nathan wrong and Sam opens up to Jack.  
  
Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
~ Getting to Know You: Part 6 ~  
  
Copyright (c) 2003, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
IMPORTANT: My email address has changed samcarterusaf@yahoo.co.uk is NO LONGER ACTIVE. My new address is jm-webmistress@fsmail.net. Please update your address books accordingly. Thank you.  
  
**********  
  
"How do you suggest we get rid of Captain Heartless?" Charlie asked, leaning back in his chair to whisper in Nathan's ear.  
  
"You tell me," Nathan said, untying his laces and doing them back up again for the fiftieth time.  
  
Charlie blew out an exasperated breath and glared at Makepeace.  
  
"Yeah?" Makepeace asked, swinging his legs off of the desk.  
  
"Do we actually get to eat anything here?" he asked cockily, folding his arms.  
  
"Listen to me," Makepeace snarled, "If you weren't Jack O'Neill's son you'd be eating my boot by now, so shut up!"  
  
"Ooh!" Charlie said, sitting back in his chair and saying, just loud enough for Makepeace to hear:  
  
"If I didn't know better, I'd say he was on his period."  
  
Nathan snorted with mirth and Charlie grinned, but Makepeace turned an angry red.  
  
"You'd better watch your mouth, boy!" he growled, "You're not here on holiday - you're here for punishment. You can go get your food, just stay out of my way!"  
  
"Thank you, ma'am," Charlie quipped, ducking out of the door before Makepeace could cuff him round the ear.  
  
Nathan bit back a smirk and followed him quickly, before Makepeace changed his mind.  
  
"So," Nathan said, once they were out of earshot, "Where's this Stargate?"  
  
"Keep your voice down!" Charlie hissed, "If they think we know, they'll send us back to school!"  
  
"So where are we going?" Nathan persisted.  
  
"My dad's office," Charlie replied.  
  
"Won't he be in there?" Nathan asked, as if Charlie was mad.  
  
"Don't be stupid! My dad never goes in his office unless he absolutely HAS to."  
  
**********  
  
"D'you want to go to my office?" Jack asked.  
  
"Uh...yeah, sure," Sam said.  
  
"C'mon. If we're lucky, the briefing will be short today and we can go home early."  
  
"I very much doubt that. With General Hammond and Daniel's combined ability to talk their way out of a paper bag, we could be here some time."  
  
Jack chuckled.  
  
**********  
  
"...We could be here some time..."  
  
"Shit!" Nathan hissed, flattening himself against the wall.  
  
"What?" Charlie asked.  
  
"It's my mom!" Nathan replied, pushing Charlie back as he tried to lean forwards.   
  
Charlie froze against the wall when he heard his dad's laugh.  
  
"Okay...I think we need to abandon this plan..." Charlie whispered, "This way!"  
  
They took off down the corridor and had rounded the corner just as Makepeace stepped out in front of them.  
  
"The commissary's that way, boys," he said, "Getting lost?"  
  
"Yeah," Charlie said sheepishly, "Sure."  
  
Makepeace sighed dramatically. "Now I'm gonna have to walk you there myself. Oh, man, why do I do this job?"   
  
"Money?" Charlie asked, as the three of them began walking to the commissary.  
  
"Naw. I don't get paid nothin'."  
  
"Chicks?"  
  
"You have your father's mind, I tell you," Makepeace smirked.  
  
**********  
  
"How old were you when you had Nathan?" Jack asked.  
  
Sam smiled weakly. "Too young. Jonas and I had just met, we'd only been together for about 6 months. He was...shocked, but he never told me to get rid of him."  
  
Jack said nothing, allowed her to continue.  
  
"Everything was fine until about Nathan's fifth birthday. That was when things started to go downhill between us. He would get mad for no reason, he was always shouting and moaning about something."  
  
Her lips twisted in a bitter smile.  
  
"I remember how I used to take Nathan to his room when Jonas was in a bad mood. I used to close the door, we'd sit down together. I'd read him a story, he'd just lay there and listen to me. He was an awful good little boy. Even when Jonas was shouting, he'd just go upstairs and sit quietly."  
  
"Quite a contrast to the way he is now," Jack said, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.  
  
"You're telling me," Sam agreed. "Things got really bad between us. He...he used to get...violent."  
  
Jack's eyebrows almost met in the middle.  
  
"Are you saying he...?"  
  
"Hit me? Yes. It went on for about three months, I suppose. That was when he put me in hospital. I was in for about two weeks, so Nathan was alone with him all that time. When I got back, he was different. He was cold, he'd pull his arm away from me - it was like he wasn't my baby any more."  
  
She stopped for a moment, the memory bringing back emotions she'd long since buried, tried to forget about.  
  
"That's when Jonas got a lawyer involved. He said that I wasn't fit to be a mother, that he should have full custody."  
  
"But...surely he couldn't just do that? Without any evidence?" Jack asked.  
  
"Jonas is a lot cleverer than you might think," she said, "Sly would be a better word. He had friends in all the right places...I had none."  
  
"So much for justice," Jack muttered.  
  
"As it stands, Jonas has the majority custody of Nathan - I see him three or four times a year, if I'm lucky. He stays for about a week, maybe two each time."  
  
Jack frowned again. "But, Sam..."  
  
"Jonas doesn't adhere to rules, Colonel. I see Nathan when it's convenient with Jonas - when he doesn't want a son for a week or two."  
  
"All this time," Jack said, "I never had any idea."  
  
"If he hadn't broken Charlie's nose, you still wouldn't, sir," Sam said, blushing at the memory.  
  
"Teenage boys," Jack shrugged, "What are you gonna do? They fight. Not a damned thing we can do to stop them."  
  
"Amen to that!" Sam agreed.  
  
**********  
  
"Well, now where are we going?" Nathan asked.  
  
"Can you pick locks?" Charlie asked.  
  
"Yeah..." Nathan answered, "Why?"  
  
"Well first, you have to teach me. Second, I need you to pick a lock."  
  
"What lock?" Nathan asked, wishing he'd kept his mouth shut.  
  
"Your mom's lab."  
  
"WHAT?" Nathan exploded, "I'm not breaking into my mom's lab!"  
  
"You're not breaking in!" Charlie protested, "We're just looking!"  
  
"No. No no no!" Nathan said firmly.  
  
"I thought you two didn't get on," Charlie said, unaware that he was entering a metaphorical minefield. "I thought you'd be glad to have a stab at her."  
  
Nathan was very quiet for a few moments. "You don't know anything about my family," he said, "Just get your proof somewhere else."  
  
"Fine," Charlie said, "We'll find...I've got it!"  
  
"What? I'm not telepathic, you know?"  
  
"Tela- what?" Charlie asked.  
  
"Holy Hannah!" Nathan moaned, "It means that I can't read your mind!"  
  
"Sorry," Charlie said, "I guess I shoulda paid more attention in science."  
  
"No, maybe you shoulda paid more attention to the lesson - rather than Jenna Phillips in row 3."  
  
"Piss off!"  
  
"You were like a friggin' dog, O'Neill! With your tongue hanging out!"  
  
"How the hell do you know, techno-geek?" Charlie retorted.  
  
"If you'd had a neon sign above your head saying 'Bite Me!' it would have been less obvious!"  
  
**********  
  
"SG-1, I'm afraid something has come up. The Tollan are requesting your assistance 0700 hours tomorrow."  
  
"General!" Jack moaned, putting his head in his hands.  
  
"Im sorry, Colonel. We all know how you feel about helping technologically superior races, but..."  
  
"But nothing!" Jack said, "We save their asses and do they give us anything in return? No, nothing but a pat on the back and a 'well done!'"  
  
"Sir...what about Charlie and Nathan?" Sam asked. "It's not really fair of us to leave you to cope with them on your own."  
  
"Captain, I sincerely hope you're not suggesting..."  
  
"No! No, God! I just think they need an eye kept on them whilst we're gone - a very thorough eye."  
  
"I'm sure that can be seen to, Captain. What should I tell them about why you're gone?"  
  
"Uh..."  
  
"Tell them we've gone on a tactical training mission. Tell them it's procedure, nothing to worry about," Jack said.  
  
Sam raised her eyebrows. "D'you think they'll buy that?"  
  
"I once told Charlie that sausage was spelt with a 't.' Ya know - saus-t-age? He believed me then."  
  
Sam smirked. Daniel bit his lip to stop himself from laughing, and pushed his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose.  
  
"Thank you for that wonderful insight, Colonel," Hammond said dryly. "You embark at 0700 hours tomorrow. Dismissed."  
  
**********  
  
"This is the infirmary."  
  
"Well gee, that's funny, 'cos this looks like the inside of a cupboard to me!"  
  
"Quiet! We have to wait here and listen to what they're saying!"  
  
"And what if somebody opens the cupboard, O'Neinstein? Did you think of that?"  
  
"I'm sure we could find a way out of that situation if it arose. Besides, you're the brains around here, Carter. It'd be up to you to figure it out."  
  
"Me??"  
  
"Yes, you! Do you see anybody else in this cupboard by the name of Carter?"  
  
"My God, if my mom or your dad finds us..."  
  
"Then we're royally screwed, I KNOW! Think about it - why would they be looking in an infirmary cupboard?"  
  
"What are we doing in an infirmary cupboard?" Nathan hissed.  
  
"I told you! It's like gathering intel. We're just here to prove to you that the Stargate exists. Then I can have ten bucks."  
  
"Why couldn't we have just got detention like anybody else?" Nathan moaned.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Next time: Something's wrong at the SGC, but nobody's talking. Nathan and Charlie are determined to find out... 


	7. Getting to Know You: Part 7

Title: Getting to Know You: Part 7  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Spoilers: The Broca Divide  
  
Summary: Something's wrong at the SGC, but nobody's talking. Charlie and Nathan are determined to find out...  
  
Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
~ Getting to Know You: Part 7 ~  
  
Copyright (c) 2003, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
"They've gone on a tactical training mission. It's just procedure, nothing to worry about," General Hammond explained to the two teenage boys seated in front of him.  
  
"If it's nothing to worry about, why didn't they tell us?" Charlie asked.  
  
"They didn't know about it until the last minute, boys," he continued, ever-patient, "I'm sure they would have told you."  
  
"I'm sure they would have told us anyway," Nathan continued, eyeing General Hammond suspiciously, "What's going on?"  
  
"I just told you - they've gone on a ta..."  
  
"Don't do that!" Charlie said in annoyance, "For crying out loud, we're not little kids! We can tell when you're lying, and that was a honkin' huge one!"  
  
General Hammond was taken aback. "Now, listen here..." he began.  
  
Nathan punched Charlie on the arm and bit back the urge to hiss at him. "He is the General of this place, Charlie. My grandad used to be a general, my mom told me..."  
  
"I don't care!" Charlie interjected, "He's lying! I wanna know where the hell my dad is!"  
  
"Your father," Hammond said sternly, "Is absolutely fine. He's doing his job.   
  
Now, you boys run along before I put Colonel Makepeace in charge of you again."  
  
That was enough to send the two of them fleeing from the room.  
  
**********  
  
"What did you hit me for?" Charlie groused, rubbing his arm, "I'm gonna have a bruise there for weeks!"  
  
"Get over it," Nathan grumbled, "Can't you see that instead of making a huge fuss, we'd do better to conduct our own investigation, or collect our own intel?"  
  
"What are you talking about, Brains?" Charlie asked.  
  
Nathan ignored the use of that hateful nickname and continued. "I believe the guy's lying as much as you do, but unlike yourself, Mr O'Neinstein, I believe that the best way to do this is secretly - covertly. We don't have to let them know what we're really doing, and they won't let us know what they're really doing. Got it?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Oh, Holy Hannah! It means that we'll find out what's happened to our parents ourselves, okay? Do you need a diagram?" Nathan sighed in exasperation.  
  
Charlie punched him. "What do you think I am, a complete retard?"  
  
**********  
  
"Oh, for crying out loud!" Jack moaned loudly, "Why do you always do this?"  
  
Narim blinked. "We have met only once before, Colonel. I do not see..."  
  
"Nah, forget it," Jack grouched, stubbing his feet into the ground.  
  
"I think what Colonel O'Neill is trying to say..." Sam began, but was cut off by Jack.  
  
"I don't like entering into something I know nothing about! Like this war, for example."  
  
"Colonel, if you aided us in ridding this world of the Goa'uld..."  
  
"What? What would you do? You'll sit there and refuse to give us anything in return because your technology is faaar too wonderful and we primitive humans wouldn't be able to use it without blowing ourselves up! Go on! Prove me wrong!"   
  
he said, so mad that Teal'c was certain he could see steam rising from the man's body.  
  
"We really do not have time for these arguments," Narim said, bordering on being cross - but not quite there.  
  
"Well, ain't that convenient?" Jack asked, "Listen. We have more important things to do than..."  
  
His speech was cut off by the approaching swoop of a Death Glider, which was heading straight towards the building they were inside.  
  
"We are too late!" Narim cried, "We must take cover!"  
  
They ran for a more sheltered area of the building as the Tel'tak fire began to rain down on them.  
  
**********  
  
"So...where are we going?" Nathan asked, running to keep up with a highly enthusiastic Charlie.  
  
"Dr Jackson's lab," Charlie answered, pulling Nathan behind a wall as Lieutenant Simmons passed, without noticing them.  
  
"He's a total drip."  
  
"Charlie!" Nathan hissed, "Shut up! You don't even know the man!"  
  
"No, but my dad does - says he's hot for your mom!"  
  
"Oh, shut up!" Nathan said, blushing. "We've gone off topic again."  
  
"Okay, okay, you can stop blushing now. He is a total drip, anyway. We're looking for mission reports."  
  
Charlie stopped outside of a large set of doors and started fumbling in his pocket for something.  
  
Nathan folded his arms and rolled his eyes. "Now what are we going to do, O'Neill? Magic the doors open?"  
  
Charlie ignored the comment and pulled a card out of his pocket, swiping it through the holder and grinning as the doors opened.  
  
Nathan's jaw dropped. "How the hell did you get that?"  
  
Charlie shrugged. "Not much of a black ops officer if you can't pick a pocket..."  
  
Nathan rolled his eyes again, and shoved past Charlie inside the room. He stood there and looked around him in wonder.  
  
"What'dya reckon this is?" Charlie asked, picking up a highly valuable object.  
  
Nathan cringed, and rushed over to Charlie's side, taking the small statue out of his hands.  
  
"Let's just look for what we came for," he said, going over to the files.  
  
Charlie started at one end, Nathan at the other. Nathan saw Charlie's puzzled expression and sighed, putting his hands on his hips.  
  
"Holy Hannah, O'Neill! Those mission reports are from almost a year ago! Ya need to be looking at this end!"  
  
They were both quiet for a moment, until Nathan was sure he'd found the file he wanted. He was extracting it from the untidily stacked shelf when Charlie let out a cry of disgust.  
  
"What?" Nathan asked.  
  
"C'mere and read this!" Charlie said, "This'll prove it!"  
  
Nathan ran his eyes over the page and his jaw dropped almost to the floor, his eyes widening.  
  
"No..."  
  
"Oh, yeah," Charlie was grinning widely, "In the men's locker room, of all places!"  
  
"Jeez, moms can be so embarrassing..." Nathan muttered, his cheeks flushing a deep red. Charlie was greatly enjoying himself.  
  
"I must ask him what it was like - to have your mom throw herself at him..."  
  
"Would you shut up!" Nathan shouted, angry at both himself and Charlie. "We've got the report we want - how about we read it?"  
  
"I think I've found something more interesting..."  
  
"I don't care!" Nathan snapped, forcibly taking the file out of Charlie's hand and jamming it back on the shelf.  
  
"Ooh, touchy!" Charlie teased.  
  
**********  
  
"We're under heavy fire," the communication faltered, "The gate's cut off," faltered again, "No way home."  
  
General Hammond looked at the floor uncomfortably.  
  
"Love to the boys."  
  
He folded his arms and tried to hide back the tide of emotion that threatened to engulf him.  
  
"O'Neill out."  
  
The transmission ended.   
  
Sergeant Davis looked at Hammond. "What are you going to tell them, sir?"  
  
"We're going to tell them that everything's fine," Hammond replied sadly.  
  
**********  
  
"See - this is what they call the gate address. You put this into the computer and it dials up the alien planet. Quite simple really."  
  
Nathan scoffed. "Come off it - I bet you couldn't work it!"  
  
"Course I couldn't!" Charlie replied. "Why'dya think I'm dragging your sorry arse around with me?"  
  
Nathan said nothing.  
  
"I think you can give me that money you owe me now," Charlie replied, with a smug grin.  
  
Nathan sighed dramatically, pulled some notes out of his pocket and stuffed them in Charlie's outstretched hand.  
  
"Thank you. Pleasure doing business with you, old boy!"  
  
"Come on, let's get out of here," Nathan said, "We've still gotta find out what's going on."  
  
**********  
  
Kelly sat in the commissary, eating a banana dessert, when Charlie and Nathan entered. She glared at Nathan, but invited Charlie to sit down beside her.  
  
"Shall I sit under the table?" Nathan asked sarcastically.  
  
"You can go away whilst I speak to this proper young gentleman!" Kelly replied.  
  
Nathan bit his lip, thinking of what his mother would have said. 'She's not worth it.'  
  
"Excuse me whilst I go and rake over the dung, ma'am," Nathan said, tipping his imaginary hat and walking away.  
  
Kelly glared at him until he'd left.  
  
"Such a rude boy!" she said, smiling at Charlie, "Your father's obviously brought you up better than that stupid blonde scientist..."  
  
***********  
  
Nathan stuffed his hands in his pockets and slouched along the corridor, catching snippets of conversation from the various rooms.  
  
"No, don't do that!"  
  
"Sergeant!"  
  
"Why does the coffee in this place taste like - "  
  
He grunted and sank down on the floor, glaring at the security camera that followed him, before giving it the finger.  
  
It was then that he picked up a conversation that interested him.  
  
"SG-1 departed at 0700 hours for Tollana. We just received this message.  
  
"We're under heavy fire, the gate's cut off, no way home."  
  
"Love to the boys.".  
  
"O'Neill out."  
  
Nathan's heart fell to his feet. They were in trouble - Hammond had been lying.  
  
His heart lurched at the sudden terrible thought that he would never see his mother again. He had to tell Charlie.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Next time: It's not good to lie to two teenage boys who know better - repeatedly. They do stupid things. 


	8. Getting to Know You: Part 8

Title: Getting to Know You: Part 8  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Spoilers: None  
  
Summary: It's not good to lie to two teenage boys who know better - repeatedly. They do stupid things.  
  
Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
Note: Thank you very much to all of the people that send reviews! I am very grateful! : )  
  
~ Getting to Know You: Part 8 ~  
  
Copyright (c) 2003, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
Nathan shrank away from the wall and walked numbly back down the corridor. He assumed that Charlie would still be in the commissary, chatting up random lieutenants. Now that he had some time on his own, he decided to do a little bit of exploring. He got into the lift (using Dr Jackon's card that Charlie had swiped from him, which Nathan had promptly swiped from Charlie) and pressed the button for level 21.  
  
As the doors opened, he closed his eyes and prepared to see Colonel Makepeace standing in front of him. When he opened them, however, there was nobody there.  
  
  
  
No Jack O'Neill, ready to scream at him, no Colonel Makepeace, who would grab him by his collar and throw him in a cupboard - the floor was desserted. Good.  
  
He walked a little way along the corridor and found the room he was looking for.   
  
His mother's lab. He turned around again to make sure that he wasn't being watched, and pulled a small item from his pocket. He inserted it into the lock and turned, grimacing as it refused to budge. Of course, his mother wouldn't allow anyone to pick the lock on her lab door - she wasn't stupid.   
  
Neither was her son.  
  
He merely extracted another piece of metal from his pocket and pushed it in further, twisting it with a grunt as it slowly gave way. He heard the final click of it's surrender, and went inside, shutting the door carefully behind him. He turned around to look at the lab for the first time.  
  
"Holy Hannah!" he breathed. He'd never seen such an amazing room! Oh, he was definitely not bringing Charlie O'Neill in here. No way - he'd want to touch everything, and he'd end up breaking things...  
  
No. He was here for a reason. He had to try and gather some information. What was his mother's security code? What code did they use to open the iris? He very much doubted that she would leave the information hanging around - he knew he wouldn't. He searched the room with his eyes, and they fell on her laptop.  
  
Could he?  
  
No.  
  
She'd kill him.  
  
If she was still alive...  
  
She'd still kill him.  
  
**********  
  
Meanwhile, Charlie was doing his very best to get away from Kelly. She had pinned him down in the commissary for almost an hour now, and listening to her was becoming more than tedious.  
  
Where the hell was brains, anyway? He'd slunk off ages ago, not even so much as a cough or a fart since then. He never thought he'd actually want to see the boy, but Kelly had a way of making life seem much worse.   
  
He shifted awkwardly in his chair, wishing that he could think of a decent excuse. Fortunately, one entered the room at that precice moment. Colonel Makepeace.  
  
"Hey!" he shouted, "I thought I told you to be quick!"  
  
"Agh!" Charlie said, jumping out of his chair and sprinting out of the commissary, with Makepeace hot on his heels. Fortunately, one of Makepeace's heels was a little dodgy, so Charlie was easily able to lose him. He smirked at the wall, and suddenly realised where he was. Outside of his father's office.  
  
His hand reached for the doorknob...  
  
No.  
  
He couldn't. Not really.  
  
Yes he could.  
  
Ah, what the hell? He'd never even know!  
  
He turned the knob and went inside, looking around him in surprise. Well, the hypocrite! He had the nerve to tell Charlie that his room was a mess - his office looked like it had been hit by a bomb!   
  
There were files and papers strewn all over the floor, the desk was covered in yet more papers, a gameboy, and what looked like old jello packets, and cake boxes.  
  
"Eugh," Charlie said, stepping over a precariously stacked pile of papers, and almost walking into another. He spied the pile of gameboy games on the edge of the desk and his mouth fell open. That's where his version of Tomb Raider 3 had gone...  
  
He reached out his arm to grasp the game in his hand, but tripped over the waste paper bin and fell head-first into a pile of brown folders that were piled up as high as the desk. They shot up in the air and rained down on him as he sprawled on the floor, muttering obscenities to himself. He took a piece of paper off of his head and looked at it. It was definitely written by his father, he could tell by the untidy scrawl.   
  
GIC: 98273  
  
Gic? What the hell did Gic mean? Gameboy Identity Code? G-something Identity Crisis? Charlie scratched his head in bewilderment and stuffed the piece of paper in his pocket for safekeeping. He climbed out of the mess of paper and was about to leave when he noticed a card hanging on the wall from a small peg. His mouth fell open again. Would his dad really be so stupid as to leave his access card hanging on a chain in his office?  
  
It sure seemed like it.  
  
**********  
  
Charlie's fingers raced over the keyboard, and the screen lit up his face in the relatively dark room. He was still having trouble with trying to hack into his mother's computer - and it was no wonder. She'd obviously forseen that he would try and do this, and had made it almost impossible for him to access.  
  
Almost, but not quite.  
  
He slammed his fist down on the desk impatiently and grunted. At that point, the laptop eminated a happy beeping sound and a wonderful word flashed out at him from the screen.  
  
DECODED  
  
Oh, she was so going to kill him.  
  
**********  
  
Charlie grabbed the card and stuffed it in his other pocket. He then set about trying to find Brains, avoiding Makepeace at the same time. He shuffled out of the office and shut the door on the mess behind him, and edged down the corridor - straight into Makepeace's butt.  
  
"Oh, crap!" Charlie shouted, turning around and trying to make his escape. He failed.  
  
Makepeace grabbed hold of him by the hood of his jumper and wouldn't let go.   
  
Charlie kicked angrily at him, but it did no good.  
  
"C'mon," Makepeace growled, "Let's go find your little friend."  
  
He then proceeded to half-drag, half-carry Charlie down the remainder of the corridor to the elevator.  
  
**********  
  
Nathan looked at his watch and swore. He stuffed the floppy disk back in the pocket of his coat and shut down the computer, putting it down carefully on Sam's desk. He then got to the door and opened it carefully. There was nobody outside. With a sigh of relief, he closed it behind him and whistled a tune, walking towards the elevator. It was then that something went whizzing past him at a tremendous speed.  
  
"RUN!" it shouted.  
  
Nathan was halfway through questioning this when he saw a very angry Colonel Makepeace running towards them at full pelt. He turned on his heel and sprinted after Charlie, running for dear life. He could hear Makepeace cursing and shouting behind him, but he and Charlie had the advantage of being younger and faster. They soon lost him, disappearing into a storage cupboard.  
  
"Why do I always end up stuffed in a cupboard with you?" Nathan groaned.  
  
"Shut up!" Charlie hissed, "Where the hell have you been?"  
  
Nathan suddenly remembered that he hadn't told Charlie of their parents' plight.  
  
"Uh...Charlie...our parents are in trouble."  
  
Charlie sighed in exasperation. "Dammit, Brains, I knew that! I've been doing a little research..."  
  
"God," Nathan said, "That smacks a little of forward planning, O'Neill. Did it hurt?"  
  
Charlie's response was to give Nathan a swift smack in the arm.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Come on, let's get out of this damned cupboard."  
  
**********  
  
"So...what have we got?" Charlie asked.  
  
"I managed to get my mom's security code and another number code that I'm not sure about."  
  
"Sweet! I got my dad's pass card and a number written on a piece of paper."  
  
"What number is it?" Nathan asked, slotting the floppy disk into the computer's drive and loading its contents.  
  
"98273," Charlie replied, looking at the scrunched bit of paper in his hand.  
  
"Wow," Nathan said from the computer, "That's the same as mine. Wonder what it does."  
  
"Who knows?" Charlie asked, "I think this is my dad's security number."  
  
"We'll soon find out. Okay, let's review. We have the two security codes required to...do something with the 'stargate'. Then what?"  
  
"Then we step through it, find our parents, get bollocked, come home," Charlie grinned. The grin soon faded. "Oh, hell!"  
  
"What?" Nathan asked.  
  
"We didn't get the address for the planet they've gone to."  
  
Nathan rolled his eyes. "Really, O'Neill, do you think you are dealing with an ameteur? The planet is called Tollana - I pulled the address from the base mainframe."  
  
"Sweet!" Charlie grinned, "Man, you have gotta show me how to do that!"  
  
"More importantly," Nathan said, "How are we going to bypass security? We need the gate-room to ourselves."  
  
Charlie shrugged. "Create a distraction?"  
  
Nathan grinned. "An excellent suggestion. So...do you think Kelly would be willing to volunteer?"  
  
**********  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"  
  
Sergeant Davis heard the scream and immediately jumped up out of his chair to see what was going on. The minute he and two airmen had left the room, Charlie and Nathan rushed in.  
  
"How do we close the doors?" Nathan hissed.  
  
"I would guess it would be...this button..." Charlie said, closing his eyes as he tentatively pressed a button marked: Defcon 3.  
  
The minute he pressed it, a loud alarm began to wail.  
  
"Ah, crap!" Charlie groaned, as the doors slid down.  
  
"Aaagh!" Nathan cursed, trying to work out what he had to do.  
  
"Calm down!" Charlie shouted, "There's nothing to worry about!"  
  
"Shut up!" Nathan screamed back, "We've gotta get this working!"  
  
"We?" Charlie screamed, "That's your job!"  
  
"Aaagh!" Nathan said again, "Come over here!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"When I say 'go' put your dad's security code in - it's got to be accurate! Ok...GO!"  
  
Both boys put the codes in and prayed that it would work. They could still hear the klaxon wailing and when they looked at the monitors they could see a very angry looking General Hammond staring at them.  
  
"Oh, shit!" Nathan groaned, "COME ON!"  
  
ACCESS CODES VALIDATED  
  
"Woo-hoo!" Charlie cried jubilantly, "Come on, Nathan!"  
  
"Ok, Ok...I can do this..." Nathan said, his fingers faltering above the keyboard.  
  
"No pressure..." Charlie said sarcastically, as they heard a frantic banging from the other side of the blast door.  
  
"SHUT UP!" Nathan yelled, as he began to type frantically.  
  
They heard a sound that neither of them had heard before - a mechanical whirring noise, followed by a clink.  
  
"Ok...I'm putting the co-ordinates in," Nathan said, typing each one carefully.  
  
**********  
  
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" Hammond shouted.  
  
"Uh...we don't know, sir."  
  
"SOMEBODY ISSUED A DEFCON 3, AND IT SURE AS HELL WASN'T ME!"  
  
"Yes, sir, we know that..."  
  
"WHO IS IN THAT GATEROOM?"  
  
"Well, you see...sir....we think it might be..."  
  
"WHO?"  
  
"Charlie O'Neill and Nathan Carter."  
  
"WWWHHHHHAAAATTTTT?"  
  
**********  
  
The banging noises were getting louder and heavier. Nathan jumped up out of the chair and ran towards a small flight of stairs.   
  
"Come on!" he called to Charlie over his shoulder, "We've gotta go!"  
  
"WHERE?" Charlie yelled back, squealing as a blow torch began to bite through the metal of the blast door.  
  
"TOLLANA, HOPEFULLY!" Nathan replied, running into a large room.  
  
His mouth fell open.   
  
"Holy Hannah!"  
  
"Sweet!"  
  
The two boys stood in wonder as the Stargate engaged, sending a stream of water out in front of it and then back in again. Charlie screamed and clung hold of Nathan's arm.  
  
"Pull yourself to-"  
  
Before Nathan could finish, there were men in the control room looking angrily down on them.  
  
"RUN!" Nathan shouted, and the two boys made a mad dash for the Stargate.  
  
"STOP THEM!" Hammond shouted, watching as the two boys ran straight towards the gate.  
  
**********  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
**********  
  
Next time: Did they make it? Did they mis-dial? Was it all just another of Makepeace's terrible dreams? 


	9. Getting to Know You: Part 9

Title: Getting to Know You: Part 9  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Spoilers: Solitudes,  
  
Summary: Did they make it? Did they misdial?  
  
Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
Note: Thank you very much to all of the people that send reviews! I am very grateful! : )  
  
~ Getting to Know You: Part 9 ~  
  
Copyright (c) 2003, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
For a moment, Nathan thought that he was dead.  
  
As he stepped through the stargate, it seemed to close in around him. He couldn't breathe. He closed his eyes against the onslaught of colour and brightness that almost blinded him. His arms felt stiff and heavy - he could not move them. He couldn't even open his mouth to breathe.  
  
He began to panic. Time seemed to be moving a lot more slowly than it had been, and where the hell was Charlie? He tried to calm himself down, but it didn't work. His chest became tighter, his breaths were more drawn and his throat burned, as if someone was strangling him from the inside...  
  
Then, suddenly, it was all over. The grasping hand released its hold, and he fell back to earth, literally, with a bump. The pain from his throat and chest moved up his back and to his neck. He rolled over onto his side and groaned, and that was when he heard Charlie.  
  
"Whoo!" he said, stumbling out of the gate, tripping over his own feet and landing on top of Nathan, "That was some ride!"  
  
"You could say that," Nathan mumbled, trying to sit up, "Oh, I think I'm going to be sick."  
  
Charlie shook his head mockingly. "Ooh. Shouldn't have eaten that big lunch."  
  
"Shut up," Nathan said, sitting up and putting his head between his legs to stop the nausea, "You're just acting macho. I bet you feel like you're gonna be tossing your cookies."  
  
"Take it like a man!" Charlie moaned dramatically, putting his hands on his hips, "Why do you have to..."  
  
Suddenly, a staff blast ripped through the air and embedded itself in the wall, just three inches above Charlie's head.  
  
"AAAGGGHHH!" Charlie yelled. Nathan's head snapped up.  
  
"Come on!" he shouted, grabbing hold of Charlie's wrist and diving to the right, narrowly avoiding a second blast that was aimed for his chest.  
  
"Now look," Charlie shouted, "You've alerted them to our presence!"  
  
Nathan's blood began to boil. "If we weren't being fired at by a bunch of aliens, I would smack you!" he yelled.  
  
"Over there!" Charlie said, a little quieter, "There's a patch of trees - we can hide."  
  
"They obviously want us dead," Nathan replied, "I don't think we'll be able to hide from them for long."  
  
"Yeah - my dad's probably being a total ass to them," Charlie chuckled, as the two boys hid themselves amongst the foliage.  
  
"Yeah," Nathan agreed.  
  
**********  
  
Sam opened her eyes and looked wearily around her. She was, at least, conscious, but was not greeted by a pleasant scene. She and Colonel O'Neill were sitting in a small room, with nothing but a tiny window and a small grate towards the top of the ceiling. He was still out cold on the floor, after a heavy beating from the jaffa.  
  
She touched two fingers gingerly to the back of her head and winced as they came away covered in blood. She gently knelt down next to Jack and felt for his pulse - it was still there, and still strong. Thank goodness for that - she couldn't bear it if she had another repeat of what happened when they were in Antarctica.  
  
He would soon wake up - the jaffa would come, he would lip them off, he would be dragged off and beaten. It had been the same for as long as Sam could remember.   
  
She sat back on her heels and let out a hopeless sigh. This was the sort of situation that needed one of her 'typically insane' ideas to get out of.   
  
Unfortunately, she wasn't big on those at the moment. She was concentrating on keeping herself and her commanding officer alive for as long as possible.  
  
He wasn't making it easy for her.  
  
**********  
  
Nathan held his breath as the jaffa stomped past, their heavy boots making deep imprints in the rough ground. Charlie was sat hunched beside him, and Nathan suddenly noticed that he had a rather large twig sticking in his left ear. He stuffed his fist into his mouth in an attempt to calm his laughter. Charlie looked at him out of the corner of one eye and his eyebrow arched. He clearly didn't find it as funny as Nathan did.  
  
Once the jaffa had passed, Nathan cast a fearful look out of their hiding place - he could see a small building that was about a quarter of a mile away from them. In the distance, it was shrouded by mist. Tollana was a big place, but it had only just come around to daylight. With a sinking stomach, Nathan realised that they hadn't really thought this plan through; that his mother and Charlie's father could have been miles away from them.  
  
A rough punch brought him back to his senses. He turned around and saw Charlie sitting there, looking triumphant.  
  
"What?" Nathan asked, "You're upset because I was laughing when you had a twig in your ear? Please!"  
  
Charlie said nothing, but had a tight-lipped expression on his face. Nathan didn't know it yet, but there was a large, bushy bit of twig stuck in his hair, which protruded from behind his right ear. It made him look as if he had a horn.  
  
"Where now, brains?" Charlie asked, crawling out of the bush and stretching himself, groaning as he heard a click in his knee.  
  
"You're getting old," Nathan muttered. "I saw a small building through a gap in the trees - I think it's about 1/4 mile away from here."  
  
"One quarter?" Charlie groused, "Aw.."  
  
"Just get on with it!" Nathan snapped, rubbing at his back, "We'll be there before you know anything about it."  
  
With that, he was off. Charlie had to run to keep up with him.  
  
**********  
  
A familiar groan told Sam that Jack was waking up. She crossed back to his side and anxiously waited.   
  
"Damned jaffa..." he grouched, trying to sit up.  
  
"Careful, sir," Sam said, "They-"  
  
"Beat me up pretty bad?" Jack snapped, "I think I know that, Captain."  
  
"Yes, sir," she replied quietly.  
  
Jack was silent for a moment, wishing that he hadn't snapped at her.  
  
"Captain..."  
  
"It's fine, sir," she said quietly, "It's not your fault that we came to Tollana, so don't apologise for it."  
  
"If it wasn't for Narim..." Jack muttered.   
  
"It wasn't his fault either!" Sam said, "How could he have known that this would happen?"  
  
Jack shrugged. "He's an alien."  
  
**********  
  
Nathan and Charlie finally reached the building and saw that they had two options. One - they go in the front door and definitely get blown to pieces. Two - they go through the grate and probably get blown to pieces.  
  
Nathan decided for them. He stood on the tips of his toes and lifted up the grate, squeezing himself into it.   
  
"Careful you don't get your butt stuck!" Charlie chuckled. He soon stopped when Nathan kicked him in the face. "Ow!"  
  
"Hurry up!" Nathan's muffled voice answered.  
  
"Okay, okay," Charlie said, pulling himself up into the small hole and sealing the grate behind him.  
  
*********  
  
Sam sat back against the wall and sighed. The wound on her scalp was beginning to throb more, and a beating from a jaffa's staff weapon was beginning to appear in a bruise on her stomach.  
  
Jack rolled over onto his back and looked up at the ceiling. It was then that they started to hear the noises.  
  
They were muffled at first, but steadily got louder. They were scraping noises, like something soft being rubbed against the inside of the wall.   
  
Jack got up and went over to Sam.  
  
"What the hell is that?" he asked.  
  
That was when they heard the voices.  
  
**********  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Sorry. Shouldn't have had your huge butt in the way."  
  
"Jackass."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I'm crawling through a blasted tunnel with you behind me - how can my butt not get in the way?"  
  
"You're a jerk."  
  
"Ah, for crying out loud!"  
  
**********  
  
Jack smarted. He left Sam's side and went over to the grate.  
  
"Charlie?" he shouted.   
  
"Agh!" came the muffled reply, "Jeez, dad, no need to shout!"  
  
"What the hell are you doing?" Jack shouted, ignoring his son's request.  
  
"Looking for you!" another voice replied.   
  
"Nathan?" Sam asked in disbelief.  
  
"Ah...hey mom," Nathan said, as he knocked the plate through onto the floor in front of Jack. He slithered out of the gap in the wall and fell in an unceremonious heap on the floor.  
  
Sam went over to him and pulled him into her arms. Jack, however, was less forgiving.  
  
"Charles O'Neill!" he hollered, "I am SO gonna kick your ass!"  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Next time: Charlie's in for an ass-kicking. That's the least of his problems. 


	10. Getting to Know You: Part 10

Title: Getting to Know You: Part 10  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Spoilers: Solitudes  
  
Summary: Charlie's in for an ass kicking. That's the least of his problems.  
  
Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
Note: Thank you very much to all of the people that send reviews! I am very grateful! : )  
  
~ Getting to Know You: Part 10 ~  
  
Copyright (c) 2003, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
"I am SO gonna kick your ass!"  
  
"Agh!" Charlie shouted, and ran away from his father to hide behind Sam.  
  
"Are you both crazy?" He shouted, "You could have been killed!"  
  
"Colonel!" Sam hissed, "May I suggest that you keep your voice down?"  
  
Jack suddenly realised where he was, and lowered his voice.  
  
"Did you hear me?"  
  
"Yeah," Charlie replied, stuffing his hands in his pockets.  
  
Jack sighed deeply, and took in the rather comic sight of two teenage boys cowering behind his 2IC.  
  
"You're both lucky to even be alive," he murmured. "Come here," he said, gesturing to Charlie with his arm.  
  
Reluctantly, Charlie went over to Jack and squealed in surprise as his father pulled him into a bear hug.  
  
Nathan snorted, but abruptly stopped when Sam drew him close to her and embarrassed him equally.  
  
When both parents had dutifully embarrassed their children, they released them.   
  
Charlie coughed and looked at the wall whilst Nathan waited for the blush in his cheeks to go down.  
  
"How did you find us?" Sam asked, sitting down against the wall.  
  
"Well, you see, we..."  
  
Charlie stopped as they heard footsteps approaching the door. Jack leapt to his feet and practically stuffed Charlie back into the hole in the wall, and pushed Nathan through after him.  
  
Nathan bit back a grunt of pain as his ankle connected harshly with the concrete of the wall panel, but kept quiet.  
  
The door was pulled open, and a heavily armed jaffa entered the room. Sam desperately hoped that Jack would be quiet, for the sake of both their sons.  
  
The jaffa smirked as he looked at Jack and Sam.  
  
"Our lord will see you soon," he smiled, "And we suggest that you should prepare your guests for the same treatment that awaits yourselves."  
  
"Guests?" Jack asked incredulously, "What guests?"  
  
"The ones that are hiding in the ventilation shaft," the jaffa continued.  
  
Sam's cheeks began to burn. God, not the boys, she thought, take me, but not the boys.  
  
As if to prove his point, the jaffa dealt Sam a blow to the chest with the butt of his staff weapon which sent her flying back into the wall. She bit back a cry of pain and slumped against the cool, grey wall, wishing that she could be somewhere else.  
  
The jaffa gave a final smirk and turned on his heel, leaving the room.  
  
Jack instantly went to Sam's side and frowned, gingerly touching her cheek with his finger.  
  
"Carter? You okay?"  
  
"Hmm," she mumbled, still gritting her teeth so as not to alarm Nathan and Charlie.  
  
They heard a grunt of annoyance from behind the grate and Jack went over to them. Sam could see the terror in his face that he quickly masked from the children.  
  
"You two have to get out of here," he ordered.  
  
"But..." Charlie protested.  
  
"I mean it!" Jack said, his voice rising, "Dammit, Charlie, now is really not the time for you to be pig-headed..."  
  
"For crying out loud!" Charlie groaned, "You heard that jaffa! They already know that we're here! Who's to say that when we do try to escape, they won't have people waiting to take us out then?"  
  
Sam closed her eyes. It looked as if there was nothing good about their current situation.  
  
**********  
  
Narim tentatively looked out from behind the ruins of what used to be the Tollan meeting hall, the large weapon held loosely in his inexperienced hands. He was desperate to find Captain Carter and Colonel O'Neill. Of where they were he had a fairly good idea, but it was not one that pleased him.   
  
He edged out from behind the building and ran for the cover of the nearest tree.   
  
It could barely be called a tree any more - its once proud trunk was burning and black from staff weapon blasts, and most of its proud leaves had fallen to the ground below it, making a macabre carpet among the spilled blood.  
  
He knew that he only had about half of a mile to go until he reached the old detention centre, which was no doubt where Apophis' jaffa were holding Captain Carter and Colonel O'Neill prisoner. He flattened himself against the back of the tree as he heard footsteps approaching. They were heavy and metallic - definitely that of the jaffa.  
  
"Our Lord will arrive at any moment."  
  
"He will be most pleased with the prizes that we have managed to procure for him."  
  
"Captain Carter and Colonel O'Neill - the two greatest warriors of the Tau'ri."  
  
"Yes. He'll also be receiving two bonus prizes."  
  
Narim frowned. Who could the jaffa be talking about?  
  
"When I went in to check on them, I could definitely hear another two voices. I checked for life signs - there were two children in the ventilation shaft."  
  
Narim's blood ran cold. Children? He couldn't let them fall into the hands of the Goa'uld. Now more determined than ever, he edged around the back of the tree and made a break for the cover on the other side of the track.  
  
"Halt!" the largest jaffa shouted, spinning on his heel with his staff weapon held ready.  
  
"What is it?" Another of the jaffa questioned.  
  
"I head something," he growled, still keeping his staff weapon at the ready.  
  
Narim held his breath and tried hard not to flinch as the jaffa advanced on his position.  
  
"You must be mistaken, there is nothing here."  
  
"I am certain!" The larger jaffa protested.  
  
Narim used the ensuing argument as an opportunity to escape further into the wooded area, and to try and reach the detention centre.  
  
**********  
  
"Dammit, Charlie!" Jack groaned, "Stop arguing with me and get the hell out of here!"  
  
"No!" Charlie shouted back, "I am not going to leave you here!"  
  
"Agh!" Nathan shouted suddenly, shock in his voice.  
  
"Nathan?" Sam asked fearfully, "What is it?"  
  
"I...I...there's someone else coming through the ventilation shaft," he said.  
  
"Don't shoot!" Came a soft voice, "I mean you no harm!"  
  
"Narim?" Jack asked incredulously, "Well, it's about damned time!"  
  
"I am sorry I could not have come sooner," Narim said, "But I have been unable to escape until now."  
  
"Narim, get the boys out of here!" Jack ordered.  
  
"But...I can also get the two of you free," Narim protested, "If you just give me a little time..."  
  
At that moment, the room became darker and the floor began to shake.  
  
"We don't have a little time!" Jack shouted above the roar of the descending mothership, "GO!"  
  
"No!" Charlie shouted, struggling against Narim, who was trying to haul him out of the tunnel.  
  
"Charlie, you remember this!" Jack shouted, as the footsteps grew louder, "I owe you one HUGE ass-kicking!"  
  
"Yeah," Charlie murmured, as his legs went weak and Narim finally succeeded in pulling him out of the tunnel.  
  
**********  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
**********  
  
Next time: Charlie and Nathan grow more desperate as there is still no news from their parents, and Sam and Jack face a fight for survival against Apophis' torture.  
  
**********  
  
Author's Note: Sorry you had to wait so long, but I've been really busy. Hope you enjoyed it, please send feedback to jm-webmistress@fsmail.net 


	11. Getting to Know You: Part 11

Title: Getting to Know You: Part 11  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Spoilers: None  
  
Summary: Charlie and Nathan grow more desperate as there is still no news from their parents, and Sam and Jack face a fight for survival against Apophis' torture.  
  
Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson. The rating has been raised due to scenes of torture that might upset younger readers. You have been warned.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
Note: Thank you very much to all of the people that send reviews! I am very grateful! :)  
  
~ Getting to Know You: Part 11 ~  
  
Copyright (c) 2003, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
When Charlie awoke, he found himself staring up at a curiously tiled ceiling.   
  
They were all of uneven shape, and were different colours ranging from deep blue to a silvery purple.  
  
He heard a familiar voice next to him, and turned around on the cold floor to come face to face with Nathan.  
  
"Oh, great," he grumbled, "Just the face I wanted to wake up to."  
  
"It wasn't too nice for me either!" Nathan snapped back, pulling himself into a sitting position.  
  
"How the hell did I...?" Charlie began, rubbing at a bruise on his forehead.  
  
"You fainted," Nathan lied, trying to hide his amusement at the look of astonishment on Charlie's face.  
  
"I...wha...you are lying!" Charlie shot back, folding his arms stubbornly and pouting.  
  
"No, I'm not," Nathan persisted, "You went right out like a girl!"  
  
"I do NOT faint!" Charlie protested, getting up and walking around the room, "You are talking out of your a-"  
  
Before Charlie could mutter a final expletive, the door to the room opened and a man entered the room that neither Charlie nor Nathan had seen before. To Charlie, he resembled a piece of wet lettuce.   
  
"Hello," the man said slowly, as if he was talking to a baby, "I am Narim. How are you feeling?"  
  
"Just a little confused," Charlie replied sarcastically, "And I have a few questions for you."  
  
Narim smiled weakly, "Please continue."  
  
"One - who the hell are you? Two - where the hell are we? Three - where the hell is my dad?"  
  
"I see," Narim said, twisting his hands together, "You do not remember anything of yesterday?"  
  
Nathan rolled his eyes. "If we remembered, would be really be asking you?"  
  
"That is most unfortunate," Narim replied, looking at the floor. "In answer to your first enquiry, I am Narim - your father told me that I was to protect you, on pain of my death, though he did not use those exact words and made reference to a sharp piece of fruit, but that deviates from the point..."  
  
"What about our second question?" Nathan persisted.  
  
"You are on the planet Tollana - we are hiding in one of the last remaining buildings that was not totally destroyed in the attack."  
  
"What attack?" Nathan asked, before he suddenly remembered. "You mean those men with...staff weapons?"  
  
"Yes," Narim nodded, "They have created much destruction on my home planet. For years I have seen nothing like it."  
  
"How touching," Charlie said, "But that does deviate from the point again, doesn't it?"  
  
"I take it that you are referring to my inability to answer your third and final question," Narim said.  
  
Nathan bit his lip. The 'limp lettuce' man was really winding him up but in the back of his mind he could just see his mother standing there, hands on her hips, telling him to behave. The thought sobered him for a moment. If his mother never came back, Jonas would have full custody of him - and that was not something that he wanted to happen.  
  
"Where are they, Narim?" Nathan asked, his eyes boring into the Tollan, demanding an answer.  
  
Narim sighed deeply. "They were captured by Apophis and taken aboard his mothership," he explained, "Though I promise you that we are at this moment trying to asses their location and process a plan for their rescue."  
  
"How can we rescue them if we don't know where they are?" Charlie demanded, "Jeez, you've had ages to find them and still nothing? What kind of shop are you running here?"  
  
Narim looked at him in puzzlement.   
  
"We are not running a shop, nor do we sell local produce."  
  
Charlie cast a withering glance at Nathan, who put his head in his hands. This was going to be a long day.  
  
**********  
  
When Jack opened his eyes he let out a loud curse as he took in his surroundings. They were undeniably on a Goa'uld mothership, in a not-so-cosy cell that wasn't much bigger than a public toilet. It also smelled like one.  
  
He groaned as a searing pain cut across his spine and he threw his hand out to support the weight of his aching body, only to touch something soft.  
  
He looked down to find his hand in an awkward position on his 2IC, who thankfully did not wake up at the touch of his hand. For a moment he wondered if he should leave his hand there, but remembered the sort of thing she could do to him if she found out and he carefully prized his hand away from her.  
  
"Having a nice grope, sir?" a voice weakly replied.  
  
"Carter?" Jack squeaked, a blush rising to his cheeks, "I..."  
  
She opened her eyes and looked at him, amusement filling her face.  
  
"You know, it's either me or the lighting in here, but you've turned the colour of a lobster."  
  
"I put my hand out...I didn't see that you were there..." he protested, annoyed at his blushing.  
  
"It's not a problem, sir." Sam replied, biting her lip to stop herself from giggling.  
  
"No giggling," Jack warned her.  
  
"Sir," she replied, swallowing her giggles to cast an eye around their cell.  
  
"The usual Goa'uld comfort suite," Jack said, running a hand back through his hair that desperately needed a wash.  
  
Just as he was about to make another biting comment, they heard the sound of heavy footsteps. Sam felt her heart beginning to beat more rapidly, and she resisted the urge to curl up closer to her CO and bury her head in his shoulder.  
  
The door to their cell was wrenched open, and a tall jaffa stood before them, a shit-eating grin plastered on his face.  
  
"I am Lokar," he said, leering at Sam who glared back at him. "Apophis will see you now," he pointed at Sam.  
  
"Well, Apophis can just shove his meeting up his - Aagh!"  
  
Jack cried out as Lokar struck him on his dodgy knee with the butt of his staff weapon. Sam tried to go quickly to his aid but Lokar grabbed hold of her shoulder and brutally pulled her back towards him, wrenching her arm around by the small of her back.  
  
"You would do best not to try and escape," he whispered in Sam's ear, like a snake.  
  
"I'll be back, sir," Sam said, trying to hide the tremble in her voice. Lokar responded with a throaty laugh that meant that he knew better, and dragged her from the room.  
  
**********  
  
Apophis smiled when Lokar entered, with the female Tau'ri in his arms.  
  
"Captain Carter," he drawled, rising from his throne and walking with deceptive laziness towards her, "I must say that this is a pleasure."  
  
"For you, maybe," she spat back, with a grunt of pain as Lokar punched her in the ribs.  
  
"You would also do well to avoid your insolence," Lokar advised, raising his hand to strike her again.  
  
"Lokar!" Apophis ordered, "Your work here is done. I will call for you when she is to be escorted back to the cell."  
  
"But, my lord..."  
  
"Go!" Apophis demanded, watching as the jaffa sulkily exited the room, pausing to spit at Sam before he left.  
  
"I apologise," Apophis sneered, "My first prime clearly has no manners."  
  
"He's had a good teacher," Sam replied, a little too quickly for Apophis' liking.  
  
Before she knew what was happening, she found herself sprawled on the floor, her cheek throbbing and a taste of blood in her mouth.  
  
"I do not appreciate your insolence, Tau'ri," he replied, going back over to his throne and picking up a golden hand device. He slipped it lovingly onto his fingers, flexing each one in turn, making sure that she could see exactly what he was about to do to her.  
  
"Now. I am going to ask you a simple question," he said, his voice was smooth and silky, laced with arrogance and a throaty drawl - the trademark of a Goa'uld. "What is the iris code that allows access to the Earth stargate?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Sam said, with grim determination in her eyes.  
  
Apophis snarled. He grabbed hold of a fistful of her hair, and wrenched her head back. He held the ribbon device over her head and activated it, before repeating the question again.  
  
"You will tell me," he smiled, as he felt her beginning to weaken in his arms.  
  
"No..." she gasped, "Go...to hell!"  
  
"That is precisely where I will be taking you," he promised, and the pain in Sam's temple worsened.  
  
She cried out as spots began to darken her vision, as she felt herself falling from his grasp.  
  
"You are weak," he sneered, and everything went black.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Next time: Narim is in for trying times with Charlie and Nathan, and it's Jack's turn to be brought before Apophis.  
  
Author's Note: Sorry you've had to wait so long for this one again, but I hope that it was worth it. Feedback is always accepted at jm-webmistress@fsmail.net. Colonel Maybourne will deal with flames. 


	12. Getting to Know You: Part 12

Title: Getting to Know You: Part 12

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: None

Summary: Charlie and Nathan get a little difficult with Narim, and Jack finds himself brought before Apophis whilst Sam lies unconscious in their cell.

Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson. The **rating** has been raised due to **scenes of torture** that might upset younger readers. You have been warned.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Note: Thank you very much to all of the people that send reviews! I am very grateful! :)

~ Getting to Know You: Part 12 ~

Copyright © 2004, Ruth

**********

Narim sighed and prayed for strength as he watched Charlie O'Neill begin to jump up and down on a flowerbed in the deserted courtyard.

"Do you mean to have us spotted and killed?" He snapped, going over to Charlie, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him back into shelter.

"Do you mean to have me kill you for ripping my shirt?" Charlie shot back, surveying the tear in his clothes with disdain. 

"I believe that we have more pressing issues to concern ourselves with than items of your clothing," Narim muttered under his breath, and peered around the corner of a plant, his zat held nervously in a trembling hand.

"HEY!" Charlie shouted, jumping out from behind the flowerbed and doing a little jig right in the line of fire, "WE'RE HEEEEERE!"

Nathan shot out, grabbed Charlie and smacked him on the nose, before dragging him back to their hideout. 

"Ass!" he snapped, "Why can't you just be serious for once?"

"You broke by dose!" Charlie muttered, "AGAIN!"

Narim groaned loudly. 

"Would the two of you please desist in causing harm to one another? We will not be able to escape if you do not keep quiet!"

"Yeah," Charlie said mockingly, "You must desist being such a butt…escape? What about our parents?"

"We will be of no use to them alone," Narim said softly.

"We can't just leave them!" Nathan said hotly, "They're probably being tortured as we speak…" his voice trailed off. Charlie picked up after him.

"By dad would albays go back for be!" He protested through a bleeding nose.

"Your father would…your father?" Narim said, astounded.

"Yes, my fader!" Charlie snapped, "And Nathaniel here is Carder's son!"

"Samantha…" Narim said softly, "I…I had no idea…"

"Oh, don't tell me you fancy my mom as well!" Nathan said, his arms on his hips, "Crikey, the list just keeps getting longer! I tell you, if my dad found out about this…"

Their conversation was cut off by the sound of bushes rustling not a yard away from them. Narim, Charlie and Nathan shrunk back behind the plant and waited, with baited breath.

**********

They were together, both of them. Apophis was in front of her, holding his ribbon device height above her head.

"You will pay for your insolence, Tau'ri!" He smirked.

The ribbon device got lower and lower, until he activated it above her head. Slowly, without so much as a scream, she fell lower and lower to the floor, before she slumped in a heap and didn't move.

"Carter!"

"She is of no use to you now," Apophis sneered, moving closer to him, and raising his ribbon device. "The two of you will die together, Tau'ri. How romantic."

"Carter!"

Jack woke up with a start and looked around him, to find that he was still sitting in their cramped cell, his back straight up against a hard wall, and with no escape in sight. He suddenly remembered where he was, and turned rapidly to the left to see if Carter was with him. Unfortunately she wasn't there, but there was a large, spiteful pain in his side that decided to kick in at that moment. With a grunt, he turned to the right, and that was when he saw her. 

Lying there, deathly pale and still like in his dream, a crumpled heap that only vaguely resembled his second in command. Ignoring the stabbing pain in his side, he crawled over to her and gently placed two fingers to her neck, searching for a pulse.

When he found it, it was the sweetest relief that he had felt for a long time. He sat back on his thighs, biting back the pain of a pulled muscle.

"Carter!"

Still, she did not awake. He was about to move again, to her other side, when he heard heavy footsteps approaching, and the sound of a large, heavy metal door being opened. Unfortunately, Lokar was behind it.

"How nice to see you again," Jack spat, pulling himself into a standing position.

"Do you want me to take her again?" Lokar said softly, "Because I am sure that Apophis would be only too thrilled…"

"Nah, I think it's my turn to see the big guy," Jack smiled.

Lokar entered the room and grabbed Jack roughly by the shoulder, pulling him out of the room and slamming the rusty door behind him. 

Still, Sam did not stir.

**********

"Hello?" Daniel asked, adjusting his glasses back onto his nose and looking around the remains of what had used to be Tollana.

"They do not appear to be here, Daniel Jackson. I suggest that we…"

"HEY!" Charlie shouted, running out suddenly from behind the plant, "WE'RE HERE!"

"Charlie?" Daniel asked, "How did your nose…?"

"My bad," Nathan admitted, suddenly appearing behind Charlie. "He was being a little unwilling to comply with Narim's orders."

"And where is Narim?" Teal'c questioned. He then watched with some amusement as the clearly disgruntled Tollan emerged from behind Nathan, and looked at them with withering joy.

"It is good to see you, Daniel Jackson, Teal'c. I have been…under duress…"

"I understand, Narim. What of Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter?" Teal'c asked.

"I…uh…they were taken aboard Apophis' mothership. I tried to reason with then, tried to get them out, but they insisted that I should protect the boys…"

"Typical," Daniel muttered, handing Charlie a tissue which looked worryingly as if it had already been used.

"Uh…habe you used thish?" Charlie questioned, looking back down at the tissue.

"Probably, but do you want to jam up your bloody nose, or what?" Daniel snapped.

"Daniel Jackson, I do not believe that it is the fault of the boys…" Teal'c began.

"I know, I know. Sorry, Charlie, I didn't mean to snap at you." Daniel apologised.

"Don't worry, I understand that things are tough when it's your time of the month."

Daniel tried to think of something witty to say in return, but came up with nothing. Instead, his shoulders slumped and he walked off in another direction.

"We must return to Earth," Teal'c decided, "And inform General Hammond of our situation."

"WHAT?" Charlie shouted, "WE CAN'T JUST LEAVE THEM!"

"What do you suggest we do?" Teal'c asked, "As you have clearly formulated your own plan."

"I think we should…um…well, get a ship, fly up and rescue them! How hard could it be?" Charlie asked, running to keep up with Teal'c as he stalked after Daniel. 

"You clearly have no understanding of the situation that your father and Major Carter are in."

"I understand that they're in danger!" Charlie replied, "And that's enough!"

"We need to know more than that before launching an attack on Apophis," Teal'c stated, deadpan, "This you do not understand."

"Well, I could have a go!" Charlie smiled. "C'mon, how hard could it be?"

"If your mentality is anything like that of your father, Charles, you will have no understanding of it at all." Teal'c stated confidently, and walked away, leaving Charlie a little shocked.

**********

"Well, Apophis, long time no see!" Jack said confidently, as Lokar frogmarched him into the room.

"Indeed," Apophis replied, flexing his fingers in his hand device, "I have been looking forwards to this moment for a very long time."

"Oh, well, I hope that you won't be disappointed," Jack smirked.

"Just like the female," Apophis said smoothly, "So confident, so quick to speak - but so slow to think. Do you not understand that your insolence will only make matters worse?"

"Oh, yes I understand," Jack said. Lokar kicked him in the back of his knees and watched in delight as Jack crumpled to the floor with a grunt of pain.

"I will take, great delight in watching the two of you suffer," Apophis smiled, "Very, very slowly."

He placed great emphasis on the last word, so much that Jack almost felt a shudder run down his back.

"You can help yourself," Apophis offered, "By telling me just a small piece of information."

"I'm…not sure that I can do that…" Jack said sarcastically, "I'm a little on the…empty side."

"Indeed," Apophis smirked, "Perhaps you will be less…empty…after this!"

The ribbon device activated over his forehead and Jack felt a burning pain shoot through him, like red-hot knives sticking into the back of his eyes and head.

"A…Aagh!"

"Yes," Apophis repeated smoothly, "You will soon be able to tell me all that you know."

**********

"Incoming wormhole," Sergeant Davis informed General Hammond, "It's SG-1's IDC."

"Open the iris!" Hammond ordered.

Their hearts fell when just five men stepped through the gate, instead of seven.

"Where are Major Carter and Colonel O'Neill?" Hammond asked.

"They have been captured by Apophis," Teal'c stated softly.

Hammond sighed.

"Briefing room, one hour," he ordered, and watched as Daniel walked Charlie and Nathan to the infirmary.

**********

"Narim, exactly how long ago were Major Carter and Colonel O'Neill taken by Apophis?"

"Just over 24 of your earth hours," Narim explained.

"Their chance of survival decreases with every hour that passes," Teal'c said, "We have little time in which to assemble an attack vessel and rescue them from Apophis."

"I know, Teal'c. And what are we going to do about the boys? They will have to know about this sometime."

"I believe that might not be a good idea," said a voice from the doorway.

Hammond turned around and frowned.

"Who are you?" he asked, "What the hell are you doing in my office?"

"I'm Jonas - Nathan's father. I can take the boys off of your hands until you find Carter and O'Neill - it'd give you one less thing to worry about."

TO BE CONTINUED…

Next time: With Sam and Jack still stranded on Apophis' ship, Hammond makes the dreadful error of entrusting Jonas Hanson with their children. 

**********

Author's Note: Again, sorry that it took so long but you wouldn't believe how long it's taken me to actually sit down and write something…feedback accepted at jm-webmistress@fsmail.net Flames will be dealt with by Colonel Maybourne.


	13. Getting to Know You: Part 13

Title: Getting to Know You: Part 13  
  
Feedback to: jm-webmistress@fsmail.net  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Spoilers: None  
  
Summary: With Sam and Jack still stranded on Apophis' ship, Hammond makes the dreadful error of entrusting Jonas Hanson with their children.  
  
Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson. The rating has been raised due to scenes of torture that might upset younger readers. You have been warned.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
Note: Thank you very much to all of the people that send reviews! I am very grateful! :)  
  
~ Getting to Know You: Part 13 ~  
  
Copyright © 2004, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
Pain.  
  
All she could feel was red-hot, searing pain in her muscles, fatigue in her limbs and more pain in her lower body. She struggled into a sitting position and saw Colonel O'Neill lying to her right - he was also hurt.  
  
She tried to command her body to move, fighting the growing numbness in her limbs as she struggled to his side, finally collapsing with a grunt of spent effort beside him, able to do nothing more than stretch out her hand to touch him.  
  
Pain.  
  
She lost consciousness.  
  
**********  
  
"Well…Mr Hanson, I'm not sure that I can…" Hammond began.  
  
Jonas smirked.  
  
"General, please - don't you think it would be better for Nathan to be with his father at this time? I mean, what else are you going to do with him? Shut him in a cupboard untwisting paperclips?"  
  
"You have to understand that I can't just hand the boys over without their parents' permission!" Hammond argued, quickly losing his temper with the arrogant man in front of him.  
  
"I am Nathan's parent!" Jonas replied hotly, "I've looked after him for much longer than his mother!"  
  
"Airman, could you show Mr Hanson to one of our guest quarters, please?" Hammond said.  
  
Jonas snarled and pulled his arm away from the airman who was trying to help.  
  
"He's my son!" he spat, "And take your freakin' hands off of me! This isn't finished!"  
  
"I think it is, Mr Hanson," Hammond said, letting out a sigh of relief as the door closed behind him.  
  
**********  
  
"There, Nathan, you're all done," Janet smiled kindly, letting the boy jump down from the bed.   
  
"Charlie, you're next."  
  
"Aww, do I have to? You've already done my nose!"  
  
"I know, but I just need to check that you're okay everywhere else."  
  
Nathan sniggered.  
  
"Shut up!" Charlie snapped, aiming a punch at Nathan but missing, because he overbalanced and fell on the floor.  
  
"Nathaniel," Janet warned, "I'm sure your mother didn't bring you up to behave that way!"  
  
The words were out of her mouth before she realised what she was saying. Nathan looked away, and muttered:  
  
"My mother didn't bring me up."  
  
Then, he left the infirmary, despite Janet's apologies.  
  
"Who put the bug in his ass?" Charlie asked out loud.  
  
"You, I expect," Janet said brusquely, turning to a nurse and whispering something in her ear. "I'll see you later, Charlie. For now, you be nice to Nurse Fielding - or you'll be treated to the blunt needles I normally save for your father!"  
  
With that, she snapped off her latex gloves and went in search of Nathan.  
  
**********  
  
Nathan smashed his fist into the wall and bit back the tears that threatened to escape from his eyes. He couldn't be seen crying - Charlie would never let him live it down. He wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand and swallowed, before slamming his fist into the wall again.   
  
The dull, aching pain that shot up his arm served as a drug to cull his anger, and he sank to the floor, hugging his knees to his chest.  
  
What was the source of all his anger? His father. For years Nathan had been brought up to hate his own mother - it was only now that he'd begun to realise it. He had just three days before Jonas was due to pick him up again, and that was not a pleasant thought.   
  
Now, more than ever, he wanted to be with his mum. But where was she? She was captured, stranded somewhere that wasn't even on Earth where nobody could go to her rescue. Nathan groaned and rubbed at his forehead, where he felt the familiar pangs of a migraine building.  
  
"Nathan?"   
  
He wiped his eyes furiously and got up, as he heard Janet Fraiser's footsteps approaching.  
  
"Nathan?"  
  
She rounded the corner and laid eyes on him, smiling gently.  
  
"Hey," she said softly, "I'm sorry about earlier. I forgot what I was saying."  
  
Nathan grunted, and shook his head.   
  
"Don't apologise. I don't normally get all stressed up about it," he mumbled.  
  
"You need to talk about it?" Janet suggested, "We can go somewhere quiet."  
  
"Thanks," Nathan said, "I'd like that."  
  
**********  
  
"Carter!"  
  
Sam opened her eyes and looked up to see her commanding officer sitting beside her, in their small prison on Apophis' ship.   
  
"Colonel?" she rasped.  
  
"Glad to see you're still with me," Jack grunted back, one hand clamped over his shoulder, "I was worried for a minute."  
  
"Your arm?" Sam asked, sitting up and biting back a wince as a bolt of pain shot through her back.  
  
"Nah, It's fine," Jack protested, as Sam gently probed at the wound, "Just got nicked with a staff blast."  
  
"I can't…" Sam said, struggling to get the sleeve above his muscular forearm, "You're gonna have to take it off."  
  
"My arm?" Jack said playfully.  
  
"Your shirt," Sam replied. "It's the only way I can get a proper look at it."  
  
"I'm not taking my shirt off," Jack replied shortly.  
  
"Come on, sir, it's nothing I haven't seen before," Sam said gently.  
  
"I don't care!" Jack squeaked, "You're the one under my command, not the other way around!"  
  
"Not on doctor's matters," Sam muttered, "Colonel, I need to do this, or else your wound will go septic and then you will have to have your arm taken off."  
  
After much procrastination and protest, Jack gingerly undid the buttons of his shirt and pulled it off of his arms, leaving the wound free to the air and the glow of the light.  
  
"I need a bandage," Sam said thoughtfully, eyeing the shirt in Jack's hand.  
  
"Don't even think about it." He replied, catching her glance.  
  
She sighed, and pulled a little of the material off of the bottom of her own shirt.   
  
"C'mere," she said, shuffling closer to him to apply the bandage. She tried to ignore the fact that the scent of his cologne, mixed with sweat and blood, was wafting up her nostrils.   
  
You are not sitting here undressing your CO, she said to herself, there is nothing sexual about this, you're just bandaging his arm.  
  
"You done yet?" Came the disgruntled voice of the man in possession of the arm.  
  
"Almost," Sam said, securing the bandage in place. "There."  
  
Jack sat motionless. They both looked at each other for a moment.  
  
"Turn around," Jack pleaded.  
  
Sam rolled her eyes, and turned her back so that Jack could put his shirt back on.  
  
**********  
  
"One of the earliest things I remember," Nathan smiled, "Was when I was about three or four. I was with mom, and we were at the swimming baths. I was standing on the edge, with these huge armband things on my arms, with my eyes closed really tight. I hated it - didn't want to jump in. She was just there in front of me, smiling. She told me to close my eyes, and before I knew it she was holding me in the water, bobbing up and down. I was clinging onto her like I don't-know-what, but she promised me that she would never let me go, that I'd always be safe with her."  
  
Janet smiled at the memory.   
  
"I need her here, now." Nathan admitted softly.  
  
"But…you have your father," Janet said.  
  
"That doesn't mean much to me," Nathan explained, "He's…not a great fan of my mom's, and he always told me that she was bad, that I didn't want to see her. I believed him, all these years, until now. And now it's too late…"  
  
His voice trailed off.  
  
"Listen to me, Nathan," Janet said, sliding her hand across the table to clasp his, "Your mother is a strong person. She's with Colonel O'Neill, they've escaped from these situations before. She can take care of herself pretty well. You've just got to keep up hope, save your strength."  
  
"What use is hope?" Nathan asked bitterly. "Hope doesn't bring people back - hope doesn't get things done."  
  
"Well, have you ever tried?" Janet asked.  
  
Nathan was silent for a while, before shaking his head.  
  
"Maybe, now might be the time to start."  
  
**********  
  
"Are we going to be stuck here forever?" Carter asked.  
  
"Nah," Jack said, picking up a piece of rock and flicking it at the wall, "Apophis will get bored before we know it. He'll either kill us, turn us into hosts or make us work as slaves on…"  
  
Sam held up her hand in protest.  
  
"I think I've heard enough."  
  
"Sorry I couldn't paint a prettier picture," Jack offered.  
  
They were silent for what seemed like forever, when the sound of heavy footsteps began to approach once more. Sam closed her eyes, dreading what was about to happen to either her or to Jack.  
  
Suddenly, the footsteps were interrupted by sounds of a zat. Jack stood up and went to the bars, yelling for help.  
  
"O'NEILL?" Came the familiar voice of Teal'c.  
  
"Teal'c! Come here, you son of a bitch!" Jack yelled joyfully.  
  
"Indeed," Teal'c said with a frown, "Is Captain Carter with you?"  
  
"Yeah, she's here!" Jack said, going back over to Sam and helping her to her feet, "Boy, are we glad to see you!"  
  
"Do not thank me, O'Neill. Thank Narim. He disobeyed the orders of his government in order to mount this rescue mission - as did General Hammond."  
  
"Whatever, just get us out of here."  
  
**********  
  
Janet Fraiser knocked on the door to General Hammond's office and went inside when she was called.  
  
"Doctor, Teal'c and Narim have located Captain Carter and Colonel O'Neill."  
  
"Oh, thank goodness!" Janet beamed, "The boys will be thrilled."  
  
"Yes," Hammond said, "I've tried to make contact with Mr Hanson, but he doesn't appear to be answering his phone."  
  
"What?" Janet asked suddenly, the name striking a nerve.  
  
"Mr Hanson. He left with the boys about half an hour ago," Hammond explained.  
  
"Oh, no," Janet said softly.  
  
"Doctor?" Hammond asked, "Doctor, would you mind telling me what is the matter? Doctor?"  
  
**********  
  
To Be Continued…  
  
*********  
  
Next time: Sam and Jack are safe, but how will Janet break the news of Charlie and Nathan's disappearance? 


	14. Getting to Know You: Part 14

Title: Getting to Know You: Part 14  
  
Feedback: jm-webmistress@fsmail.net   
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Spoilers: Mention of Alias and COPS.  
  
Summary: Sam and Jack are safe, but how will Janet break the news of Charlie and Nathan's disappearance?   
  
Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
Note: Thank you very much to all of the people that send reviews! I am very grateful! :)  
  
~ Getting to Know You: Part 14 ~  
  
Copyright © 2004, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
When Jack O'Neill awoke in the infirmary to see Janet Fraiser inserting a large needle into his arm, he was not best pleased.  
  
"Easy, Colonel," Janet warned, "I know how much you hate needles but this is to help clear up the infection in your wound."  
  
Jack only grunted and waited for Fraiser to finish what she was doing before he questioned her further.   
  
"How long have I been asleep?" he asked, trying to sit up in bed and hissing at the pain in his side.  
  
"Not long enough," Janet replied, pushing him gently but firmly down.   
  
"Carter?" He asked, fiddling with the thermometer that Janet had placed on the duvet momentarily.  
  
"She's still out, but you're both stable. It's good to have you back, Colonel - and please don't do that with the thermometer, that's not what it's for."  
  
She swiped the thermometer back off of him and smiled reassuringly.   
  
"You'll be up and about before you know it, Colonel."  
  
With that, she left the room and let out a deep sigh of relief. The Colonel hadn't asked about the boys, and Sam was still out cold. She knew that she was only delaying the inevitable, but she wasn't looking forwards to breaking the news that Charlie and Nathan were missing - as was Jonas Hanson.   
  
**********  
  
When Charlie came to, he found himself in a heap on a strangely familiar rug. His vision swam before his eyes, and for a moment he wondered if Nathan had socked him one again. If he had, he would…no, his nose was still intact, and he was definitely on his own.   
  
What had happened? Charlie scratched his head as he pulled himself into a sitting position, and tried to remember what had happened.   
  
*****Flashback*****  
  
"Alias is by far the best show on TV," Nathan said, swinging back on his chair and flicking a piece of dried glue across the table at Charlie.  
  
"Nah. I like COPS. It's way better than Alias!"  
  
"Is not."  
  
"Is too!"  
  
"IS NOT!"  
  
"What's so great about it? I bet you only watch it for the lovely Ms Bristow!" Charlie sneered.  
  
"I bet you only watch COPS for the violence and swearing!" Nathan countered.  
  
"Why does anybody else watch COPS?" Charlie asked, "That's what it's about!"  
  
"No it isn't!" Nathan argued, "It's about following Law Enforcement as they try and keep us safe!"  
  
"Man, it's about the swearing and violence," Charlie said, belittlingly. "What do you think Alias is about, then? I suppose you think it's a clear portrayal of the CIA and intelligence forces."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"No! It's about sexy people wearing clothes that are too small for them, stupid!"  
  
"Maybe for you," Nathan said, "But some of us have a higher level of intelligence than that."  
  
"Yeah - pity you're not one of them." Charlie smirked.   
  
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Charlie abruptly caught himself before he fell backwards off of the chair and looked in alarm at Nathan.  
  
"Only Doctor Fraiser knows we're in here - and her feet don't sound like that."  
  
"Who is it?" Nathan shouted, feeling his legs begin to tremble a little - he had a horrible feeling that he knew who was outside the door.  
  
"It's me, Nate! Your dad!" Jonas replied.   
  
"Shit!" Nathan cursed in a harsh whisper, twisting his hands together.  
  
"Don't you want to see your dad?" Charlie asked. "I can't wait to go see mine."  
  
"You have no idea," Nathan muttered, "How the hell can I get out of here?"  
  
"Nate? I'm coming in," Jonas said, turning the door handle and walking into the room.   
  
"Mr Hanson? I'm Charlie O'Neill, son of Jack O'Neill, who I'm sure you've heard of…"  
  
"Good for you, kid," Jonas grunted, taking another step towards Nathan. "C'mon - I'll take you guys home."  
  
"Sweet!" Charlie grinned, enjoying Nathan's discomfort, "What kind of car do you have?"  
  
"A car," Jonas said, frowning at Charlie, "Nate, what the hell is wrong with you?"  
  
"I want to stay here," Nathan said, "With mom."  
  
Jonas laughed. The tension between himself and his son could have been cut with a knife, and Charlie was listening intently.   
  
Jonas sighed, and reached into his pocket. He threw the car keys at Charlie.   
  
"Go and get in the car," he said.  
  
"But how do I know which…?" Charlie began.  
  
"I don't care!" Jonas shouted, "Just go and get in the car. Nate and I will be along in a minute."  
  
So he did.  
  
*****End Flashback*****  
  
So, if he was here…  
  
…Where the hell was Nathan?  
  
**********  
  
When Sam awoke in the infirmary she found her arm covered in a swathe of white bandages, and a concerned looking Colonel looking down at her.  
  
"How long have you been standing there?" She asked, jolting him from his trance.  
  
"Dunno," Jack admitted, "I got bored."  
  
"I'm sorry to have been such a trial to watch," Carter replied sarcastically, "How's your arm?"  
  
"Better," he admitted, "Doc's been pumping me full of God-knows-what drugs to get rid of the infection. Doesn't want to have to take it off," he smiled.  
  
"It's good to be back," Sam agreed, "But where are the boys?"  
  
"I don't know," Jack shook his head, "I would have thought that they would be in here by now. Perhaps Janet will know. I'll go get her."  
  
"No," Sam said, waving her hand at him, "We'll go find them ourselves," she gingerly put one foot out of her bed and swayed slightly on the spot where she stood.  
  
"Should you be out of bed?" Jack asked.  
  
"Should you?" she countered.   
  
Jack said nothing, and the two of them walked slowly out of the infirmary to find Charlie and Nathan.  
  
**********  
  
Nathan sat in the car and looked out of the window with a frown on his face. What a great day this was turning out to be. First, he and Charlie were bitching, his mother was still missing and now he'd been kidnapped by his own father.  
  
It looked like his lucky day had been postponed. Again.   
  
"Why the long face?" Jonas asked, "I thought you'd be happy to be going home."  
  
"Yeah, well, I changed my mind," Nathan retorted, looking out of the window again.  
  
"What has she told you?" Jonas snarled, "Why have you suddenly changed?"  
  
"It's not what she told me," Nathan said, "It's what you didn't tell me. The lies you made me believe."  
  
"Now, hold on a minute!" Jonas said, slamming the brakes on and turning to face Nathan, "Just what the hell are you talking about, son?"  
  
"You told me that she hated me!" he shouted, his fists clenched in anger, "You told me that she never wanted to see me again! You lied to me!"  
  
"Now, now, Nate - that was the truth. Why would I tell you something that wasn't true?" Jonas asked, trying to put his arm around his son.   
  
"Get the hell away from me!" Nathan yelled, "You want to get back at mom by keeping me away from her! I don't believe your lies any more!"  
  
"You want to go back to your mother?" Jonas laughed, "Do you really think that she'd have any time for you? Her job is her life, Nate, not you! Why do you think I got landed with you in the first place? You should be grateful that I took you in!"  
  
"Grateful? Grateful? For what? For feeding me lies, for getting me to hate my own mother for no goddamned reason? Why should I thank you for that? You never wanted me, and she did!"  
  
"Nate," Jonas laughed, "Just answer me this - where is your precious mother now, eh?"  
  
Nathan was silent.  
  
"She's at work - she's gotten herself lost on duty, and nobody can find her. You have no option but to stay with me, Nate! I'm the only one who's a constant in your life!"  
  
"Well, maybe it's time that you weren't!" Nathan said, folding his arms and looking out of the window again.  
  
**********  
  
"So, Sam," Janet said, going over to the curtain surrounding her bed and pulling it back, "How are you f…"  
  
Her voice trailed off as she realised that the bed was empty.   
  
"Damn it!"  
  
She went over to Jack's bed and found that he was also gone. A very angry Doctor Fraiser then set off down the corridor to track them down.   
  
"Why the two of you can't just relax for a moment, I really don't know!" she muttered under her breath.   
  
It suddenly crossed her mind that the two of them had probably gone looking for Charlie and Nathan, and her heart sank. Where would they have gone? It didn't take her long to find out.   
  
In the corridor ahead of her, she heard voices.  
  
"Where are they?"  
  
"I don't know, Carter, we've checked almost everywhere."  
  
"What about the commissary?"  
  
Janet rubbed a hand over her mouth and walked around the corner to face them.  
  
"They're not there," she said softly. Both Colonel and Major nearly jumped out of their skins as they realised that they had been well and truly caught.   
  
"Where are they, Janet?" Sam asked, her eyes full of fear.  
  
"Come back to the infirmary," Janet said, "I'll talk to you there."  
  
"Dammit, talk to us now!" Sam shouted, "Where is my son, Janet?"  
  
"Sam, you need to calm down," Janet said soothingly, though she was worried. This was what she had been fearing would happen.  
  
"Don't tell me to calm down!" She replied hotly.  
  
"Doctor, if you know something…" Jack began.  
  
"I will tell you nothing until you get back to the infirmary!" Janet ordered, "You're already in trouble for getting out of your beds before you got discharged, and you'd better hope that I don't mention that to Hammond! Now!"  
  
As she watched her two friends in front of her, she hoped that she hadn't been too harsh on them. They had, after all, been through a lot in the past week - and their ordeal wasn't over yet. When she reached the infirmary, she shut the door behind her and prepared herself for the worst.  
  
"Well?" Sam demanded.  
  
"As far as we know, they're with Jonas." Janet said, watching Sam's face carefully.  
  
"J…? What? How the hell did that happen?" she shouted, panic-stricken.  
  
"Sam, I know you're upset, but please try and keep your voice down," Janet said, when she wanted nothing more than to go over to the younger officer and give her a hug, to try and ease her pain.  
  
"Keep my voice down?" she asked, trembling, "How the hell did he manage to get out with them? What has the security come to in this place?"  
  
"I don't know yet," Janet said, "But we have got people out there looking - Teal'c and Daniel have gone to your house, Jack, and they'll be checking Sam's too."  
  
"Is he dangerous?" Jack asked Sam.   
  
"What? I…I don't think…" Sam murmured.  
  
"Is he dangerous?" Jack repeated, louder this time.  
  
"No!" Sam shouted back at him.  
  
"Both of you, get back in bed now," Janet ordered, "You're still in need of recuperation!"  
  
"How can we recuperate when our children are missing?" Jack asked.   
  
"I don't know, Colonel, and I am honestly sorry for the both of you, but there is nothing that you can do for them until you're healed." Janet said, turning to Sam.  
  
"I only just got him back," she said weakly, casting her eyes down to the floor.  
  
Janet crossed the floor between them and pulled her friend into a hug, soothingly rubbing her back.  
  
"I know, honey, I know."  
  
**********  
  
Later that night, all was not still in the infirmary. Sam was awake, and carefully pulling on her clothes. She cast a look at the clock - it said 02:15am. With any luck, she would be able to get off base without being noticed by anybody important.  
  
She crept away from the bed, but had not reached the door when she felt a hand grab hold of her arm.   
  
"Carter!" came the hushed whisper, "What the hell are you doing?"  
  
"I'm going to get my son back, Colonel," she replied steadily.  
  
"We both know that Fraiser will have our asses if we make one more move - I can't let you go." Jack argued.   
  
"I am fed up with living in the shadow of my ex-husband, Colonel. For once, I have found someone that is more important to me than anything in the rest of the world - and I want him, need him back."  
  
Jack nodded silently.  
  
"I'm coming with you," he said.  
  
"No," Sam said, "This is something that me and Jonas have to sort out alone. Please."  
  
Jack nodded, and Sam slipped out of the infirmary and into the night.  
  
To Be Continued…  
  
**********  
  
Next time: Jack gets some good news, Janet loses her cool, and Sam heads off to get her son back.   
  
**********  
  
Author Notes: Please send feedback to jm-webmistress@fsmail.net. Only a couple more chapters left to go, my friends! Please review - how do YOU want it to end? 


	15. Getting to Know You: Part 15

Title: Getting to Know You: Part 15  
  
Feedback: jm-webmistress@fsmail.net   
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Spoilers: The Broca Divide  
  
Summary: Jack gets some good news, Janet loses her cool, and Sam heads off to get her son back.   
  
Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
Note: Thank you very much to all of the people that send reviews! I am very grateful! :)  
  
~ Getting to Know You: Part 15 ~  
  
Copyright © 2004, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
When Janet Fraiser entered the infirmary that morning, the silence was disturbed, and the patients were awakened, by an angry shout.   
  
"SAM!"  
  
Jack was jolted awake as Janet came over to his bed, and started shaking him gently. He grunted and tried to turn over, so she poked him. Hard.   
  
"Ow! Doc!" he groaned.  
  
"Colonel, Sam isn't in her bed," Janet said quietly.   
  
Jack suddenly remembered the events of the previous night and sat up in his bed, looking over at Sam's.  
  
"Oh, I…I mean - where has she gone?"  
  
Janet's eyebrows met in the middle.   
  
"Colonel, please tell me that you had no part in this," she said, exasperation beginning to creep into her voice.   
  
Jack shrugged and gave her a weak smile.   
  
"I'm still here, aren't I?"  
  
Janet put her hands on her hips and gave him a long stare.   
  
"That's not what I asked, Colonel. Did you let Sam get out of this infirmary?"  
  
"I…I tried to stop her," he said, "But you know what she's like when…"  
  
"But nothing!" Janet said, "Colonel, neither of you are fit enough to even be out of bed, but now she's running around somewhere doing God-knows-what? Where did she go? And don't tell me you don't know, Jack, because I have a tray of needles over there telling me that you do!"  
  
Jack winced.  
  
**********  
  
Just keep driving.   
  
Sam stared straight ahead at the road in front of her, and bit her lip, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in her temples and the dull ache in the pit of her stomach.   
  
Got to get Nathan back.  
  
She took a left turn, then a right. The headache got worse.  
  
Must keep going. Must keep going.  
  
She pulled over at the side of the road and took a moment to get her breath back. Dammit, what was she doing out of the infirmary? Why had Colonel O'Neill let her go? Just why was she doing this to herself anyway?  
  
The answer, however, was simple.   
  
The answer was Nathan.  
  
**********   
  
Janet pulled on her coat and quickly left the infirmary. She hardly dared to think about how far Sam could have gone in the few hours that she'd been away, but she also knew that it was her duty, as both her doctor and her friend, to get her back.   
  
She passed the airman on duty by the lift and swiped her ID through the slot. She waited for the doors to open, tapping her foot impatiently.   
  
"Come on, come on!" she muttered, ignoring the curious and surprised glances being thrown her way.   
  
The doors finally opened, and she practically jumped inside. Once there, she realised that she hadn't really thought about what she was going to do. In order to find Sam, she was going to have to start thinking like Sam.   
  
That was a tricky one.   
  
How would Sam have reacted upon hearing the news that her son had been kidnapped by her ex-husband? As well as anyone, she supposed. She would go to find them both - so the logical first step would be Jonas' house.   
  
Yes! Janet thought, now I'm getting somewhere. She ran out of the lift and into the parking lot, jumped into her car and sped off.  
  
**********  
  
Daniel turned the key in the lock of Jack's house and quietly stepped inside.   
  
"Hello?" he asked.   
  
Teal'c followed him through and raised his eyebrows.   
  
"It appears that Colonel O'Neill's house has been ransacked."  
  
Daniel shook his head.   
  
"No, don't worry, Teal'c - it always looks like this."  
  
"I see," Teal'c frowned, going over to a table and scraping nearly a year's worth of dust off of it.   
  
"Who's there?" came a nervous voice from the kitchen.  
  
"Charlie?" Daniel asked.   
  
"Who's there?" the voice repeated, sounding more agitated.   
  
"It's Daniel and Teal'c. Charlie, is that you? Open the door!" Daniel said, getting nearer to the kitchen.  
  
"I don't know what happened," Charlie said, "So don't ask."  
  
"I'm not asking," Daniel said gently, "Just open the door, Charlie."  
  
Charlie gingerly opened the door and looked at Daniel and Teal'c.  
  
"Sorry - I just had to be sure." he said by means of an apology, and then walked straight past the two of them. "Can we go back to the base? I want to see my dad."  
  
"Sure," Daniel said, casting a concerned look at Teal'c and following the boy out of the house.  
  
**********  
  
Nathan glared at his father across the room.   
  
"Nate, what the hell is wrong with you? You're home, you're surrounded by all of your stuff and you're still looking daggers at me!" Jonas said, exasperated.  
  
"You practically kidnapped me," he muttered, "No, scratch that, you DID kidnap me, you took me away from my friend and my mom, and now you expect me to be happy?"  
  
Jonas laughed. "I never thought I would hear you call Charlie O'Neill a friend, kid. What the hell's gotten into you? You've turned into a whiny geek!"  
  
"As opposed to a brute?" Nathan shouted, "Well, maybe it's time I stopped being like you, and started acting more like me! If that's a whiny geek, so be it!"  
  
"Your mother has definitely had a negative influence on you," Jonas muttered, lighting up a cigarette and frowning, "Now you see why you only stay with her for a few weeks a year."  
  
"I want to see her more," Nathan said, with gritted teeth.   
  
"Well, I'm not going to let you, son, and there's nothing you can do about it," Jonas smirked.   
  
"Oh…I wouldn't be so sure about that," said a dry voice from behind him.   
  
Jonas choked on his cigarette, and turned around to face his ex-wife.   
  
**********  
  
"Charlie!" Jack shouted happily, as his son entered the infirmary.   
  
"Dad!" he replied, and threw himself at the bed, into his father's arms.  
  
"It's okay," Jack soothed, "You're safe now."  
  
Charlie soon recovered from his fear and sat up, looking embarrassed.   
  
"Yeah, it's okay, dad, you don't need to make a fuss of me."  
  
"Well, excuse me," Jack snorted, "But I believe that you threw yourself at me first."  
  
"Yeah, whatever, Charlie muttered, with a grin.  
  
"Can you get me some water?" Jack asked, gesturing to the empty cup by his side.   
  
"It's all demands, demands, demands!" Charlie complained, going over to the cup and holding it in his hand, "And where's Nathan's mom, anyway?"  
  
Jack's face fell a little.   
  
"She…uh…she escaped and went to find Nathan."  
  
He accepted the cup that Charlie gave him, and took a long drink.  
  
"Cool," Charlie muttered, "You know…I wouldn't mind having her as a step mom."  
  
Jack promptly snorted the water onto the bed and looked at Charlie in disbelief.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"C'mon, dad, we read the file! When you and her were in the locker room, giving it a bit of…"  
  
"Charlie! That file was none of your business! Where did you get it from, anyway?"  
  
"Doctor Jackson's lab." Charlie smirked, enjoying the embarrassment on his father's face.   
  
"Dammit, I told him to get rid of that one," Jack muttered, glaring at his son.   
  
"There's no shame in liking her, dad," he goaded, "Even though you're a bit old."  
  
"Charlie!" Jack said, indignantly, "You're supposed to be cheering me up!"  
  
**********  
  
"Well," Jonas said, eyeing Sam as she walked into the room, "Look what the cat dragged in."  
  
"Mom!" Nathan shouted, getting out of his chair and running over to her, embracing her in a fierce hug.   
  
"I'm here," she said, "Don't worry, Nate."  
  
"You look like crap," Jonas observed, lighting another cigarette and blowing the smoke in Sam's face.   
  
"Likewise," she replied, ignoring the ache in the pit of her stomach as Nathan hugged her.   
  
"So, what can I do for you?" Jonas asked, crossing his legs.  
  
"I want equal access," she said, sitting down in the chair opposite him, "And I would love to do this out of court."  
  
"Asking a little much, aren't we?" He smirked, "After all, you've been MIA the past week - what if it happens again? What would happen to Nate?"  
  
"I'll be fine!" Nathan interrupted.   
  
Sam gently placed her hand on his arm.  
  
"Nate, your father and I need to talk about this alone," she said softly.  
  
"But…" Nathan protested.  
  
"But nothing," she replied, "Go on."  
  
Reluctantly, Nathan stood up and left the room, going to the top of the stairs and crouching low, listening out for the conversation between his mother and father.   
  
"I have rights," Jonas said, taking another deep drag on the cigarette, "And I don't think you're fit to be a mother."  
  
"As I remember, the court thought I was perfectly fit," Sam said darkly, "I only lost him when you decided to pursue more unofficial channels."  
  
"It's great having contacts in the legal system," Jonas smirked, "I have the power to fuck up your life, and you can't stop me."  
  
He got up and went into the kitchen. Sam followed him.   
  
"Why are you bringing him into this?" she asked.   
  
"Into what?" Jonas protested innocently, pouring a shot of vodka into a glass.  
  
"Into your personal vendetta against me," Sam replied.   
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jonas said, lifting the glass to his lips.   
  
Sam shook her head, grabbed the glass out of his hand and threw it at the wall. The glass shattered and lay about the floor, glinting like water.  
  
"I have spent fifteen years being ignored, Jonas, and you are damned well going to listen to me now!" She shouted.   
  
**********  
  
Janet pulled up outside the house and saw Sam's car sitting in the drive. Grimly, she opened the door and got out. This was no more Mrs nice doctor.   
  
She was about to knock on the door when it opened, and Nathan came out.   
  
"Nathan?" Janet asked, "What are you?"  
  
"Shh!" Nathan said, closing the door shut behind him, "They're talking."  
  
"That may be, Nathan, but your mother needs medical attention. She shouldn't be on her feet!"  
  
"I know that too!" Nathan said, close to tears, "But if they don't have this talk, I might never get to see her again! Do you have any idea what that would be like?"  
  
Janet sighed, and pulled the boy closer to her.   
  
"Are you hurt?" she asked.   
  
"No, I'm just tired. I want to go home with my mom."  
  
"I know you do," Janet soothed, "And you will, soon enough. If I know your mother - and I do know your mother - she will move heaven and earth to get you back."  
  
"But that might not be enough," Nathan said, trembling.  
  
**********  
  
Jonas looked at Sam, and then back at the glass on the floor. Then, he calmly walked over to the cupboard, got another glass and poured himself another shot of vodka.  
  
Sam bit her lip, and winced as a sharp pain shot through her arm. Jonas eyed her curiously.  
  
"What the hell's the matter with you, anyway?"  
  
"Nothing," she lied, "Can we try and be sensible about this, please? For Nathan's sake."  
  
"I am being sensible," Jonas replied, "You have a very stressful and demanding job, which takes priority over everything else in your life, including your son. I can't risk leaving you with him."  
  
"You? You can't risk leaving him with ME? Have you looked in the mirror recently, Jonas? If any one of us is the unfit parent, it's you!"  
  
"Maybe, maybe not," Jonas replied smartly, "But as far as the courts are concerned, the unfit parent is you, sweetie."  
  
"All I'm asking for is equal access," she pleaded, "You'll still get to see him! Hell, the school is nearer to your place than it is to mine, it's not like I'll have priority."  
  
"Oh, I do so love it when you beg me," Jonas sneered, "It's so uplifting."  
  
"Fine." Sam said, running a hand through her hair, "If you won't do it the easy way, we'll have to go through the court."  
  
"Fine by me," Jonas smiled, "I'll see you there, babe."  
  
Sam stormed out of the kitchen and pulled open the front door, to find Janet standing there with Nathan.   
  
"Sam!" she nearly shouted, "What the hell did you think you were doing? Leaving the infirmary - you shouldn't be on your feet!"  
  
"I know!" Sam replied, "Can we just get in the car, please?"  
  
"Mom?" Nathan asked nervously, "What did he say?"  
  
Sam looked sadly at her son, and pulled him into her arms. A tear slid from her eye as she held him.   
  
"He won't agree to equal custody," she said, and Janet's heart sank. "We're going to have to go through the courts, Nate."  
  
"But…last time…" Nathan said, his voice tailing off.  
  
"I know," Sam said, with a sob, "I know."  
  
To Be Continued…  
  
**********  
  
Next time: The custody battle takes its toll on Sam, Jack does some thinking about his personal life, and General Hammond pulls some strings.  
  
**********  
  
Author's Note: Eek! It's the last one next time! Unless I do an epilogue, which I could be persuaded to do. I'll need feedback though, of course. Please send it to jm-webmistress@fsmail.net Many thanks to all those of you who have supported me throughout this series - I had no idea that it would become this popular.   
  
Until the next chapter, thank you again  
  
Ruthie : ) 


	16. Getting to Know You: Part 16

Title: Getting to Know You: Part 16  
  
Feedback: jm-webmistress@fsmail.net   
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Spoilers: The Broca Divide  
  
Summary: The custody battle takes its toll on Sam, Jack does some thinking about his personal life, and General Hammond pulls some strings.  
  
Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
Note: Thank you very much to all of the people that send reviews! I am very grateful! :)  
  
~ Getting to Know You: Part 16 ~  
  
Copyright © 2004, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
Sam jolted awake as her alarm began to wail. She'd had a virtually sleepless night, worrying about Nathan and the trial, and now she had to get up and go to work, facing Colonel O'Neill and the others.   
  
She knew that they would be concerned, and it angered her. She didn't need people to be concerned for her! It was her son that needed help, and nobody else. She hated being pitied - it pissed her off more than a lot of things.  
  
She pulled herself out of bed and went into the bathroom for a shower. That would wake her up properly - help her to feel less like a zombie and more like a human being. As the scalding water travelled down her back and across her neck, she felt invigorated, and a new sense of life was within her again.   
  
She would face Jonas in court in three days' time.  
  
**********  
  
Jack looked at his watch nervously. 0850 hours. Their briefing began in ten minutes, and Carter was usually ten minutes early. Where was she? He began to pace nervously, up and down the briefing room.   
  
"O'Neill, you are making me nauseous," Teal'c stated, "Please stop moving in an alternating vertical direction."  
  
"Sorry, T," Jack said, continuing to pace, "I'm just worried about Carter."  
  
"She still has ten minutes to arrive," Teal'c said quietly, "And I do not see you extending this concern to Daniel Jackson, who is also still to arrive."  
  
"But - shut up, T," Jack said, fighting back a blush of embarrassment. Teal'c knew just what to say and how to say it to make him feel three feet tall.   
  
At that moment, Sam entered the room.   
  
"Carter!" Jack said, jumping up from where he had been temporarily seated. "You okay?"  
  
Sam bit back a sharp comment and smiled politely at him. Dammit, she could see the pity in his eyes, and she didn't like it.   
  
"Fine," she said shortly, "Why shouldn't I be?"  
  
"Exactly," Teal'c smiled, looking at O'Neill and raising his eyebrow. "Is that not what I just told you, O'Neill?"  
  
"Yes," Jack said, not totally satisfied that Sam was telling the truth. He was about to question her further when Daniel strolled in, finishing a cup of coffee. He threw the cup in the bin and looked at Sam. She knew what he was going to say before he even opened his mouth.  
  
"Hey, Sam! You okay?"  
  
"I'm fine, thank you," she said pointedly. Teal'c, however, was the only person in the room who seemed to get the hint.   
  
"I just thought…" Jack began, but Sam cut him off.  
  
"Well, don't. Sir. I'm fine, and you know what would be even better? If you stopped asking me all of the time!"  
  
Jack sat back from the table, hurt, and looked at Daniel. Sam felt guilty at her outburst, but at the same time she was glad that he had stopped talking. Fortunately, General Hammond entered and their meeting began.   
  
**********  
  
Later that day, they were off world on a routine mission. Jack had been reluctant to leave Charlie again, but Sara had been able to take him for a couple of days. As he walked ahead of his team, he kept thinking about Carter's outburst in the briefing room. He knew she was under a lot of pressure, but it had still hurt. He wondered whether to talk to her about it, and fell back to talk to Daniel.   
  
Sam was now in front, and she could practically feel their eyes burning into her back. Her eyelids drooped with exhaustion, and she wanted nothing more than to stop walking, curl up in a ball and go to sleep. She knew, however, that she had another two hours of walking to do before they even set up camp, and she could hear the conversation behind her very clearly.  
  
"I think I should say something."  
  
"No, you saw what happened earlier - just give her some space, Jack."  
  
"But she had no right to talk to me like that!"  
  
"You were pestering her."  
  
"So were you!"  
  
"She's used to it from me - normally you never act like you care."  
  
"Danny!"  
  
"Trust me, Jack, just give her some space. She'll talk to us when she's ready."  
  
"Well, I'm ready now," Jack said, still determined.  
  
Ahead of them, Sam found her eyes closing again. She stumbled briefly on a rock and cursed under her breath, knowing that Daniel and Jack would have seen her do it.  
  
"She can't even walk in a straight line!" Jack said, in a harsh whisper, "She's a danger to herself and to us!"  
  
Sam swallowed and fought back the urge to snap at him. He was right, dammit, and she hated that. Now he was going to suspend her from active duty, and all because she was just too proud.   
  
Teal'c drew level with her, and decided upon some gentle questioning.   
  
"Major Carter, do you require assistance?" he asked.  
  
"No, Teal'c," she said, offering him a weak smile, "I'm fine."  
  
**********  
  
Two hours later, they set up camp. Sam could barely wait to crawl into the tent and go to sleep, but because she was sharing with Jack, he bombarded her with questions. He'd taken her off of her watch duty, so Teal'c was doing double. As if that wasn't bad enough, he told her that he was removing her from active duty from the minute they returned to Cheyenne.  
  
"Yes, sir," she said, turning over so that her back was to him.  
  
She didn't want him to see her cry.   
  
Jack laid down to sleep as well, but his thoughts kept drifting to his 2IC. Maybe he had been a little harsh. Hell, he'd been very harsh. He felt sorry for her, they'd both snapped and now they weren't talking. It was hardly an ideal working environment.   
  
He drifted into an uneasy sleep, but was woken just a few hours later by Carter. She'd woken up, and was sat bolt upright in her bed, her head in her hands.   
  
"Carter?" he asked gently, his voice still soft and sleepy.  
  
"Sorry, sir," she croaked, "Didn't mean to wake you. I won't…"  
  
"Come here," he said, holding out his arm to her, "You need to talk to me."  
  
"But I'm -" she began, but he put his finger to her lips.  
  
"Don't you dare tell me that you're fine," he said, taking his hand away.   
  
Reluctantly, she shuffled closer to him. It was all she could do not to squeak in surprise when he put his arm around her and pulled her closer.  
  
"Talk," he ordered.   
  
"I don't know where to begin," she said softly, a tear rolling down her cheek, "I just…I just want my son back."  
  
The tears flowed freely then. Jack felt uncomfortable - he didn't like seeing women cry, especially not Carter. He wasn't used to seeing her in such a state, and it frightened him.  
  
"It's okay," he tried to reassure her, "We're all here for you. You'll get Nate back, but now you need to sleep. So just relax."  
  
When Daniel went to wake Jack up for his watch, he looked at the two of them silently, and a smile passed over his lips. He closed the flap of the tent and turned around to Teal'c, who was waiting patiently. He gave him the thumbs up, and the two of them sat down to finish their watch together.  
  
**********  
  
She would face Jonas in court in two days' time  
  
Sam jolted awake to find sunlight pouring in through the tent walls. She could already hear the guys moving about outside, doing a very bad job of trying not to wake her. She felt better after the small amount of sleep she had managed to get, but uncomfortable that she had broken down in front of Jack.  
  
It had taken her months to gain his respect, to change his mind about her, and now she'd shattered it all in one night. Pulling on her clothes, she pulled apart the flaps of the tent and stepped out into the morning sunshine.   
  
The three men stopped talking and looked at her. She raised an eyebrow at them.  
  
"What, do I have a spot on my nose, or something?" she asked dryly.   
  
Daniel chuckled, and held out a mug of coffee to her.   
  
"Get this down you," he said, "I've just got to check out some ruins and we'll be going home."  
  
As she drank the coffee, she began to feel better. Her joke had earned her one of Daniel's smiles, and Jack wasn't giving her quite such a deeply concerned look as he had been the night before. She tried to keep a positive outlook on her situation.   
  
Not that she had much choice.   
  
**********  
  
She would face Jonas in court tomorrow  
  
As Colonel O'Neill had promised, she was now off of active duty. Sitting in her lab, she worked a 20-hour shift to try and forget about her court appearance the next day. When Janet found out, she blew a gasket.   
  
"Samantha Carter! If I catch you pulling 20 hours again, I will drag you to the infirmary and sedate you myself! Is that clear?" She said, her hands resting on her waist.  
  
Sam nodded, but Janet was still frowning.   
  
"I mean it, lady - now come on. I'm taking you home, and I'll warn you now, I have a day off. We'll be spending it together."  
  
**********  
  
Janet Fraiser was a woman of her word. The minute she and Sam got home, she was in the kitchen making them something to eat. Sam sat down, fighting back a queasy feeling. She knew that it would do her no good to disobey Janet, but the thought of eating made her want to be sick.   
  
"Come on," Janet said, "And you are going to clear this plate."  
  
"Do I get any ice cream afterwards?" Sam cracked, standing up and rubbing her eyes.   
  
"Only if you eat everything," Janet said, "Now sit."  
  
They ate. As ordered, Sam finished the meal, and the two women sat down together on the couch. Janet looked over at her friend and took her hand.   
  
"Sam, honey, you do know that we are all here for you, don't you?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"And, no matter what happens, no matter what Jonas says - we will always be here."  
  
"Thanks," she said softly, looking down at the floor.  
  
Janet gently lifted Sam's chin and looked her in the eyes.  
  
"I know you're scared, and I know you're thinking about the worst, but this is going to get you nowhere. It won't help Nathaniel, and it won't help you. Now, I will be there if you want me to - you are not going through this on your own."  
  
Sam squeezed Janet's hand in hers.  
  
"You really are the best friend I could ever wish for."  
  
**********  
  
The day of the trial dawned, and Sam felt ill. Sluggishly, she moved about her house and prepared for what was looking to be like the worst day of her life. Everyone she knew had wished her the best of luck, and even her lawyer had said he was confident. Still, she felt uneasy.  
  
The courthouse loomed above her menacingly as she got out of her car. Janet was at her side, holding her hand. Sam never wanted to let it go.  
  
"Come on," Janet said, "The sooner we go in, the sooner we'll be out."  
  
When they went in, they met a very smug looking Jonas with his lawyer. He sneered at Sam as she walked past, but she didn't retaliate. She was too tired, and wanted the whole affair to be over as soon as possible.  
  
**********  
  
"Mr Hanson, could you explain to the court why you believe your ex-wife is an unsuitable mother?"  
  
"Certainly. For one, she works for the United States Air Force. I know for a fact that she regularly works 20 hour shifts and skips meals. The good doctor over there will validate that for you."  
  
Janet blushed, and squeezed Sam's hand a little tighter.   
  
"Her missions can last anything between two hours and three months - I never get any warning. She says she'll be gone for a day, and doesn't return for a month."  
  
"I see. And, exactly how did you gain full custody of Nathan in the first place, Mr Hanson?"  
  
"My dearly beloved suffered a nervous breakdown," Jonas said, smirking at Sam.  
  
"You liar!" she shouted, standing up in her seat and glaring at him, "I never had any kind of breakdown!"  
  
"Ms Carter, return to your seat immediately!" The judge frowned.   
  
"You see, even now she's hysterical!" Jonas proclaimed, pointing at her.  
  
"You're trying to take her son away from her!" Sam's lawyer pointed out.   
  
"Objection!" Jonas' lawyer countered.   
  
Sam groaned and put her head in her hands. This was not going well at all.   
  
**********  
  
"Hello, General Hammond speaking."  
  
"General, it's Fraiser. Sir, I know this is a long shot, but we could do with some help from the red telephone."  
  
"Doctor, do you realise what you're…"  
  
"I do, sir, but this is serious. Jonas is rigging the game, and the judge is leaning in his favour. If Nathan does get placed with Jonas, you know what'll happen."  
  
"But the president has no jurisdiction over the family courts," Hammond said, "If there was something I could do, doctor, don't you think I would have done it by now?"  
  
"Please," Janet begged, "I can't bear to see her like this."  
  
"I'll see what I can do."  
  
**********  
  
Jack sat in his office, thinking about Carter. She would be sitting in the court right now.   
  
He had to admit, he'd come to know a lot more about her in the past few weeks. Ever since he set foot in that Head teacher's office and saw her sitting there, the two of them had learned an awful lot about each other. In her few years she'd been married, divorced, had a child and been dragged through the court system.   
  
It was a miracle she'd turned out as normal as she had.  
  
He liked her a lot more now. When he first met her, she'd driven him mad. Her constant techno babble and arrogance had alienated him from her, but now he'd seen into the real Carter, and she was just as human as anyone else.   
  
He liked her a lot. A lot more than he was supposed to. Charlie's joke about her becoming his stepmother had seemed ridiculous at the time, but he could almost imagine it. Still, even if it was what they definitely wanted - it was what the Air Force definitely didn't want.  
  
His life was just as screwed up as hers, he supposed. He picked up the phone to give Charlie a ring, grateful for the fact that his and Sara's break-up had been cleaner than Jonas and Sam's.   
  
**********  
  
"Mr Hanson, Ms Carter, I must say that you have posed an interesting case. Ms Carter, you clearly need to realign your priorities concerning your job, but Mr Hanson, I am concerned. You have a violent history around both your ex-wife and other people, and you were dismissed from the Air Force yourself for violent conduct towards another officer. I am not sure that this is the sort of atmosphere that Nathaniel should be raised in."  
  
"B…but…you have no proof!" Jonas shouted, "I bet she told you that - she makes up a lot of things…"  
  
"Mr Hanson, if you do not keep quiet, I will be forced to remove you from the court. I have here a list of over thirty witnesses who can place you at various scenes of violent crime. Have you anything to say in your defence?"  
  
For once, Jonas Hanson was quiet.   
  
"I hereby award custody of Nathaniel Carter to Ms Carter. Case dismissed."  
  
Janet flung her arms around Sam's neck and cheered. Sam could do nothing but cry. Relief flooded through her in a tide and she thanked god with all of her heart.   
  
**********  
  
Later, General Hammond was talking with the judge.   
  
"I see you got my message," he said.  
  
The judge frowned.   
  
"Message?"  
  
"About Hanson? I sent it to your secretary's office? You did get it?"  
  
"No, I received no such letter."  
  
"Well then, how did you…"  
  
"Hanson was a nasty piece of work, General. There was no way he was getting custody of that boy. Goodnight."  
  
**********  
  
Sam sat at home on the couch, with Nathan in her arms. She wasn't concentrating on the television, the sounds coming from it were merely background noise. She didn't hear the doorbell the first time it went, but the second time Nathan poked her.   
  
"Mom, the door!"  
  
"Sorry," she said, uncurling herself from the warmth of the couch and going to the door, wondering who it could be. When she opened it, she smiled warmly.  
  
"Hey," said Jack, "I heard you won. Good work."  
  
She smiled back. "I still can't believe it myself."  
  
"I…will you be resigning?" He asked awkwardly, shuffling his feet.   
  
"I don't know," she said, "But Nathan has to come first."  
  
"Yeah," Jack said, "Well…I…I'm not very good at this…"  
  
"Jack O'Neill," Sam smirked, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were nervous."  
  
"Me?" he asked, shaking his head, "No."  
  
"Well?" she asked.   
  
"I…would you like…maybe we could see more of each other. Out of work. As a couple. Lovers."  
  
Sam smiled.   
  
"I'd love to."  
  
He pulled her into his arms and they embraced for what seemed like an eternity. She lifted her head to meet his eyes and they shared a kiss, lost in the sensation. Unfortunately, something brought them rapidly down to Earth again.   
  
"UGH! GROSS!" Nathan and Charlie shouted simultaneously. Jack turned around to see Charlie hanging out of the car window making puking gestures, and Nathan doing the same at the front door.   
  
"You know, this would make you… sort of related," Jack said, as Nathan came over to speak to Charlie.  
  
"Ew," Charlie replied, "I don't want to be swimming in your gene pool!"  
  
"Shut up!" Nathan replied, wrenching the car door open.   
  
"Dad?" Charlie asked, "If we should get into a fight again, and get suspended again, would we be able to…"  
  
"No!" Jack and Sam said, simultaneously.  
  
"Damn." The boys replied.   
  
THE END  
  
Author Notes: That's it! Finito! The end! Epilogue coming soon. Hope you enjoyed it, sorry about the -wait! Please send feedback to jm-webmistress@fsmail.net and have a happy Easter! 


	17. Getting to Know You: Epilogue

Title: Getting to Know You: Epilogue  
  
Feedback: jm-webmistress@fsmail.net   
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Spoilers: The Broca Divide, mention of Alias  
  
Summary: Charlie and Nathan wonder whether it would be worth getting into a fight again…  
  
Author Notes: Set in Season 1, Humour/Drama, Charlie O'Neill IS alive in this story, and Sam has a son with Jonas Hanson.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
Note: Thank you very much to all of the people that send reviews! I am very grateful! Thank you for being so supportive throughout this series! : )  
  
~ Getting to Know You: Epilogue ~  
  
Copyright © 2004, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
"How did it start?" Nathan asked, "I forgot, but I assume that you're going to blame me."  
  
"Totally," Charlie agreed, "It was all you. I was just trying to defend myself."  
  
"Hmm…and my Uncle is a lap dancer from Florida."  
  
"I didn't know you had an uncle," Charlie replied, deadpan.  
  
"Well, one minute I was walking down the corridor, minding my own business, and then you were shouting your mouth off at me."  
  
"No, that's what happened to me. You just started grunting in an aggressive manner."  
  
"Yeah, whatever, O'Neill."  
  
"Oh, I forgot - the grunting is normal, isn't it?" Charlie replied, earning himself a punch in the arm.   
  
"Well, I guess that your stupidity runs in the family," Nathan countered, "Almost getting us killed on Tollana by jumping around in front of the gate!"  
  
"Getting us killed? Really?" Charlie replied hotly, "You, my friend, are the one who dialled the gate in the first place, then got his own father to knock me out!"  
  
"Ok, first, O'Neill - I did not get my father to knock you out, and second - if I hadn't dialled that gate, we would never have found our parents!"  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"You betcha."  
  
"Got it."  
  
"So…what do you think they're doing right now?"  
  
"What do you think?"  
  
"Ew. That's just too gross."  
  
"I know. I mean, he's old enough to be her father, man!"   
  
"Hey! Are you calling my dad old?" Charlie asked.  
  
"Uh…yeah!" Nathan smirked, "He's what? 50?"  
  
"Something like that," Charlie murmured, "But what difference does it make to you? You're not the one having sex with him."  
  
"EW!" Nathan shouted, covering his ears, "Don't say that!"  
  
"What else could they possibly be doing?" Charlie taunted, "I bet they're doing it right now."  
  
"Yeah, well - it just doesn't sound right to talk about it."  
  
"Hmm. You have a point."  
  
"I know. It's just wrong on so many levels," Nathan agreed.   
  
"What I want to know is…" Charlie said, trying to word his question carefully, "Why would a smart, beautiful woman like your mom go for a ginger nutcase like your dad?"  
  
"H…" Nathan had been reaching over to punch Charlie, but he stopped and sat back down. "Come to think of it," he said, "That is a good question. It's not the kind of thing I could ask her, though."  
  
"Fine, then I'll do it," Charlie grinned.   
  
"No!" Nathan hissed, "You can't! She's my mom!"  
  
"And if this gets any further, she'll be mine too!" Charlie said, seriously.   
  
"I hadn't really thought of that either," Nathan admitted. "We'd have to move in together."  
  
"In the same house?"  
  
"In the same room?"  
  
"No! No, my dad would let us have separate rooms," Charlie said, defiantly.   
  
"Good. I'm not sharing my living space with a genetic cul-de-sac." Nathan retorted.   
  
Charlie smirked for a minute, and then worked out what Nathan had just called him.   
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Sorry, it just had to be done. Do you want to go and watch Alias?"  
  
"Sure!"  
  
**********  
  
One Alias episode later…  
  
"You know, we just had the best week of our lives!" Charlie laughed.   
  
"Yeah," Nathan agreed, "And it was all because…"  
  
"We got into a fight." Charlie finished.   
  
"Do you reckon?.."  
  
"Nah. Even if the principal fell for it again, our parents wouldn't."  
  
"Well, I'm more than happy to try breaking your nose again."  
  
"What do you mean, TRY? You did, twice!"   
  
"Sorry. The pleasure made me forget. Did I say pleasure? I meant guilt!"  
  
"Sure ya did. I think that anything's worth a try."  
  
"Okay, so…we have to fight. Now."  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Cool."  
  
"You betcha."  
  
"Go on then."  
  
"No. You first."  
  
"Oh. No, you."  
  
"Oh, for crying out loud!"  
  
**********  
  
"What do you think they're doing right now?" Jack asked softly.   
  
"I would guess that they're watching Alias," Sam said, looking at her watch.   
  
"Charlie keeps mentioning that. I didn't know that Nathan liked it too."  
  
"No. No, neither did I."  
  
"Well, it's all that they seem to do. When they're not fighting, that is."  
  
"You don't think…?"  
  
"Think what?"  
  
"Well, think that they might try and do it again?"  
  
"Nah. Even if their principal fell for it again, we wouldn't. We know their game now."  
  
"Still, if there's even a fraction of a chance…"  
  
"Maybe we should get back. Check that they haven't already started."  
  
"Good thinking."  
  
**********  
  
"Come on! Hit me! You've never had a problem with it before!"  
  
"Yeah, just give me a minute. I will fight you."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"You betcha."  
  
"You gonna do it, or what?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm just taking my time."  
  
"Sure ya are."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Cool."  
  
**********  
  
Some time later…  
  
"We're not gonna do this, are we?"  
  
"No, I guess not."  
  
"Well, that's it, brother!"  
  
"Don't call me that."  
  
"What, brother? We practically are."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"YEAH!"  
  
"YOU WANNA GIVE IT SOME?"  
  
"BRING IT ON!"  
  
"HEY! HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" Jack shouted.   
  
"D'oh!" Charlie and Nathan shouted simultaneously.  
  
THE END  
  
Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone who has sent me feedback throughout this series. I'm very proud of it, and very sad that it's come to an end. Thanks again, please send any final thoughts to jm-webmistress@fsmail.net 


End file.
